to the manner born

A person who is “to the manner born” is one who has acquired genteel tastes and habits by virtue of having been born into a privileged class: “Rachel is charming at dinner parties — as if she were to the manner born.” This expression is sometimes mistakenly rendered as “to the manor born.” The phrase is from Hamlet, by William Shakespeare.

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Idioms and Phrases

Accustomed from birth to a particular behavior or lifestyle, as in At a high-society function she behaves as though to the manner born, but we know she came from very humble circumstances. This term was invented by Shakespeare in Hamlet. Referring to the King's carousing in Danish style, Hamlet says (1:4): “Though I am native here And to the manner born, it is a custom More honor'd in the breach than the observance.” The manner in this expression was later sometimes changed to manor, “the main house of an estate,” and the idiom's sense became equated with “high-born” (and therefore accustomed to luxury), a way in which it is often used today.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

"Beisembayev reeled off the concerto as if he was to the manner born," wrote The Guardian's Martin Kettle, praising his "sparkling technique, rhythmic control and dynamic range".

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CJ: Van Poortvliet looked to the manner born and has leapfrogged Raffi Quirke and Harry Randall in the race to be England's long-term number nine.

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Duhan van der Merwe's first-half score proved the difference, while debutant centre Cameron Redpath looked to the manner born with a sublime performance.

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There are two kinds of socialites, as Dr. Andrew Solomon, a psychologist and the author of “Far From the Tree,” suggests: “Socialites who are to the manner born, whose function is to have connections made with them. And there are those who earn their place, by constantly bringing together people, and then bask in the reflected glory of those introductions.”

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She was to the manner born, Dr. Solomon said, but “she had to shift gears and become that other kind of socialite,” after her family lost its money.

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To the Lighthouse to the nines

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