ménage

Definition

  1. Noun:

    • A household: "ménage" refers to a domestic establishment, including the people living in it and the management of the home.
    • Housekeeping or domestic management: The term can also denote the organization and running of a household.

  2. Usage note: The word "ménage" is often used in formal or literary contexts and is borrowed from French. It is not related to the homophone "menage" (from Latin manere meaning "to stay") but is distinct from "mezzotint" (an engraving method) which is a different word entirely.

Usage Examples
  • Noun:
    • The wealthy widow presided over a large ménage with many servants. (She managed a large household with staff.)
    • After the divorce, the couple maintained separate ménages. (They kept separate domestic establishments.)
    • The book explores the complexities of a modern ménage. (It examines the dynamics of a contemporary household.)
Advanced Usage

  • "ménage à trois": a household arrangement involving three people in a romantic or sexual relationship.

    • The film depicted a controversial ménage à trois. (A three-person household relationship.)

  • "ménage" as a synonym for "household": used in formal writing to describe family or domestic group.

    • The royal ménage required careful planning for state visits. (The royal household needed detailed organization.)
Variants and Related Words

  • Ménage (n): the French spelling, often used in English with the accent.

    • She ran a tidy ménage. (She kept a well-organized home.)

  • Ménager (n, rare): a person who manages a household.

    • He was an excellent ménager, overseeing all domestic affairs. (He managed the household efficiently.)
Synonyms
  • Household: the people living together in a house.
  • Domestic establishment: a home with its management and inhabitants.
  • Family unit: a group of related people living together.
Related Idioms

  • "Keep a good ménage": to manage a household well.

    • My grandmother always kept a good ménage, with meals on time and a clean home. (She ran an efficient household.)

  • "Ménage of one's own": an independent household.

    • After years of sharing a flat, she finally had a ménage of her own. (She had her own independent home.)
Phrasal Verbs (None directly applicable; the word is a noun)
  • The word "ménage" does not form phrasal verbs. However, it can be used in compound phrases like "set up a ménage" (to establish a household).

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