man of mark—a noteworthy person:
- This French tutor was a man of mark who had held a lectureship in Paris.
Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the compound marksman—
1. smb. who attains a certain standard in shooting at a target:
- I am an indifferent marksman both at range and on safari.
2. (Sport) a person who ranges competitors in a race:
- The starter is helped by a “marksman,” who places the men on the scratch.
marked man—
1. a person who is a potential object for hostility; smb. singled out for a grim fate:
- Smithers had made one financial blunder too many. From then on he was a marked man.
2. a person destined to succeed:
- This young melodist … runs his fingers over the strings with a power that instantly makes him a marked man.