Superman

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See also: superman and supermán

English

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Actor and cosplayer Jonathan Carroll dressed as Superman at Dragon Con 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Etymology

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From super- +‎ man. The character, created by Jerry Siegel (1914–1996) and Joe Shuster (1914–1992), first appeared in DC Comics’ Action Comics #1 dated June 1938. The ice-cream flavor is named in reference to the red, yellow and blue of the superhero's costume.

Pronunciation

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Proper noun

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Superman (countable and uncountable, plural Supermen)

  1. A fictional comic-book superhero with superhuman strength and speed, X-ray vision, and the ability to fly. [from 1933.]
    • 2000, Lisa Germany, Harwell Hamilton Harris, Univ of California Press, →ISBN, page vii:
      […] hoping against hope that she, with something like Superman's X-ray vision, might see through the photograph and behind it to the truth about Harris's architecture.
    • 2002, Autocar, page viii:
      But here's the big question: can this rip-snorting derivative lay 210 bhp down through its front wheels without forcing you to maintain Superman levels of grip on the steering wheel? Yes.
    • 2010, Michael Sullivan, The Alliance, Lulu.com, →ISBN, page 149:
      In fact, everyone was used to her Superman-like strength. She made her way through the circuit of machines Mr. Connors had marked for them and ended up at the squat station. As she was placing the weight on the bar, she noticed […]
    • For quotations using this term, see Citations:Superman.

Coordinate terms

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Derived terms

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Translations

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Noun

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Superman (countable and uncountable, plural Supermen or Supermans)

  1. Alternative letter-case form of superman: a man of extraordinary or seemingly superhuman powers.
  2. (motorcycling, plural Supermans) A stunt in which the rider releases both hands from the handlebars in mid-air.
    • 2000, Garth Milan, edited by Sara Perfetti, Freestyle Motocross: Jump Tricks from the Pros, Osceola, Wis.: MBI Publishing Company, →ISBN, pages 77 and 79:
      [page 77] Riders should adapt their own style when doing Supermans, and shouldn't get hung up trying to do it the same way that someone else does. […] [page 79] An extension of the Superman is a trick called the Superman Seat Grab. Even more impressive than the Superman itself, this trick was again brought over from the BMX world, […] During the Superman Seat Grab, […] the rider lets go of the left side of the bars and grabs either a cutout in the rear number plate or a grab handle that has been previously installed. With his body moved toward the back of the bike, the rider is able to extend the bike way out in front of himself, almost floating behind the machine. […] Whichever way they are done, the Superman and its variations are some of the most impressive and difficult tricks out there.
    • 2003, Dalton Cooper, “The First Time I Got My Dirt Bike”, in TWIGS in the Mitten, New York, N.Y.: School Success Press, iUniverse, →ISBN, pages 69–70:
      I'm still trying to do the tricks Nicknack, Superman, and Bar hop. […] Superman is where you grab the handlebars and let your feet and body free.
    • 2008, Andrew Fusek Peters, “The Bowl and the Bully”, in Diamonds are for Evil (Skateboard Detectives), London: Orchard Books, →ISBN:
      On the first vert, he reared up the side and let the bike take him out. Midair, he made the 180 turn and slipped back in. This time, as he hit the other side, his whole body slipped off the bike, until only his hands held onto the handlebars. The skaters deliberately turned away as the bikers chanted, ‘Superman! Superman! Superman!’
    • 2013, Larry Linkogle, Joe Layden, Mind of the Demon: A Memoir of Motocross, Madness, and the Metal Mulisha, Philadelphia, Pa.: Running Press, →ISBN:
      A trick first popularized by Jeremy McGrath, the Superman gave the impression of a rider in full flight, not so much riding his bike as trailing it through the sky. McGrath had done the Superman at the end of races and in exhibitions, and it always killed. But he'd never done a Superman like this. No one had ever done it like this. The goal when executing a Superman was simply to go horizontal, at 180 degrees, while barely touching the bike. But this kid had gone way beyond horizontal. Rather than just kicking his feet out behind him, he'd lifted his legs high in the air, his boots hanging back over his body, two feet above his torso, like a scorpion getting ready to strike.
  3. (plural Supermans) An exercise in which one lies prone and lifts one's arms and legs, with only the abdomen touching the ground.
  4. (uncountable) A flavor of ice cream that is a mixture of blue moon ice cream, and other ice cream flavors that are colored red and yellow.

Further reading

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Anagrams

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Portuguese

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Portuguese Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia pt

Etymology

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Unadapted borrowing from English Superman. In Brazil, displaced Super-Homem as the official name in the 1990's.

Pronunciation

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  • (Brazil) IPA(key): /su.peʁˈmẽj̃/ [su.peɦˈmẽɪ̯̃], (careful pronunciation) /su.peʁˈmen/ [su.peɦˈmen]
    • (São Paulo) IPA(key): /su.peɾˈmẽj̃/ [su.peɾˈmẽɪ̯̃], (careful pronunciation) /su.peɾˈmen/
    • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA(key): /su.peʁˈmẽj̃/ [su.peʁˈmẽɪ̯̃], (careful pronunciation) /su.peʁˈmen/
    • (Southern Brazil) IPA(key): /su.peɻˈmẽj̃/ [su.peɻˈmẽɪ̯̃], (careful pronunciation) /su.peɻˈmen/

Proper noun

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Superman m

  1. Superman
    Synonym: Super-Homem
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