mandem

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Jamaican Creole man dem (“men”). Equivalent to man + them.

Noun

mandem pl (plural only)

1. (MLE, MTE) A group of men or boys; male friends or fellow gang members.

   Coordinate term: gyal dem

   • 2011, “Chyna”, in How I Escaped a Girl Gang: Rolling in a London Girl Gang:

     The mandem all used to go round there and get head off her, the sister blowing the man line by line while her brother shotted downstairs in the stairwell.

   • 2013, Polly Courtney, Feral Youth, page 169:

     She probably heard some hyped up version from the mandem but she don't know the truth. She ain't seen what I seen.

   • 2013, David Childs, Britain since 1945: A Political History:

     […] reports suggest he may have had links to that group and allied north London gangs such as the Broadwater Farm Posse and Tottenham Mandem.

   • 2015, “Shut Up”, performed by Stormzy:

     But you see my man over there with the pouch
     Dare one of you man try get loud
     All of my mandem move so foul

   • 2023, “Sprinter”, performed by Central Cee x Dave:

     The mandem too inconsiderate, five-star hotel, smokin' cigarette / Mixin' codeine up with the Phenergan

Anagrams

• mad men, madmen

Galician

Verb

mandem

1. (reintegrationist norm) inflection of mandar:
   1. third-person plural present subjunctive
   2. third-person plural imperative

Latin

Verb

mandem

1. first-person singular present active subjunctive of mandō

Portuguese

Verb

mandem

1. inflection of mandar:
   1. third-person plural present subjunctive
   2. third-person plural imperative