inner man
1
8.3
- noun
:
ser interior
- For Hans Scherfig, the exposition of the inner man and, more significantly, the assessment of social causes for the actions of his characters was of paramount importance.
Examples
-
This is a place where they can explore their "inner woman" or their "inner man."
Blog text (11) -
So I leave you to whatever arrangements you've made to serve the inner man.
-
You must work hard either on the inner man or on things outside.
-
Holiness, however, has to do with the inner man as well.
Blog text (31) -
The Holy Spirit produces joy as He fills the inner man with His presence.
Blog text (28) -
Maugham then turned his attention to the Peter Arno cartoons themselves, and he viewed them as a body of evidence that would reveal the inner man.
Academic text (1997) -
Of course, it can be said that the essential Nixon is inescapably embalmed in his deeds, from which would-be Nixon novelists are free to fashion their visions of the inner man.
Academic text (1995) -
To find true happiness, one must nurture the inner man through reflection and spiritual growth.
-
The meditation retreat helped participants focus on their inner man, promoting peace and self-awareness.
-
Practicing kindness and compassion nourishes the inner man and enhances one's moral character.
Synonyms
1
9.1
Private thoughts and feelings that a person has
1
7.9
A focus on your own thoughts and feelings
A strong focus on your own inner thoughts, feelings, and values
How Spiritual
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a person's inner self' is directly derivable from combining 'inner' (internal, mental/spiritual) with 'man' (person), following a straightforward adjective + noun composition. Though the phrase can be somewhat archaic or literary, the semantic relation is compositional and paralleled cross-linguistically (e.g., 'inner self'), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would likely infer the meaning.
Etymology
Inner man comes from old religious writing like the Bible, where people pictured a person living inside you — the man who is your inner thoughts and feelings. That's why today it means your 'inner self' or 'moral nature'.