adverb “by a certain weight,” i.e. a little, somewhat, almost, well-nigh, nearly. combined with vata in exclamation: MN.ii.123 (m. v. bho anassāma); Dhp-a.iii.147 (m. v. therī nāsitā). Often in phrase man amhi (with pp.). “I nearly was so & so,” e.g. Vin.i.109 (vuḷho); Ja.i.405 (upakūḷito); Ja.iii.435 (matā), Ja.iii.531 (mārāpito). Cp. BSk. manāsmi khāditā Mvu.ii.450.

cp. Class. Sk. manāk, “a little (of something)” prob. derived from Vedic manā f. a. gold weight = Gr. μν ̈α