Meaning & use
service manual
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Meanings
nouncountable
A technical book or file explaining how to maintain, take apart and repair a machine, vehicle or device.
Grammar: Countable: buy a service manual, two service manuals.
Patterns
- a service manual for something
The mechanic checked the service manual for the correct tightening torque.
I downloaded the service manual for my washing machine and found the fault code.
A good service manual includes wiring diagrams and a parts list.
nouncountablebusiness
A written guide describing how staff should deliver customer service or follow a company's service procedures.
Grammar: Business sense: the service manual for staff.
Patterns
- follow the service manual
New waiters must read the restaurant's service manual during their first week.
The hotel's service manual explains how to greet and assist guests.
Word forms
| plural | service manuals |
|---|
Common combinations
- official service manual
- The official service manual lists every bolt size.
- workshop service manual
- He keeps a workshop service manual on the shelf.
- refer to the service manual
- Refer to the service manual before removing the panel.
- download a service manual
- You can download a service manual from the maker's website.
- service manual for a car
- The service manual for a car shows each repair step.
Synonyms and how they differ
- repair manual
- Repair manual is nearly the same but usually refers to guides written for owners, not factory-trained technicians.
- owner's manual
- An owner's manual explains everyday use and basic care, whereas a service manual covers deeper repair.
- workshop manual
- Workshop manual is the common British term for a service manual.
- handbook
- A handbook is a general guide on a subject and is less specific to fixing one machine.
Word family
- service verb
- to inspect and repair a machine
- serviceable adjective
- in good enough condition to use
- manual noun
- a book of instructions
Commonly confused: service manual or user manual?
service manual vs user manual
A user manual teaches you how to operate a product, but a service manual teaches a repairer how to fix it.
Practice
To replace the part correctly, the technician looked in the ___ for the wiring diagram and tightening torque.
Choose one answer.
A service manual contains repair details such as diagrams and torque specifications. The other options do not give technical repair information.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “service manual”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.