Subscriber login


Forgot your password?

Library card login

Other

manoeuvre

Pronunciation: /məˈnuːvə/

(US maneuver)
Translate manoeuvre | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of manoeuvre

noun

  • 1a movement or series of moves requiring skill and care: snowboarders performed daring manoeuvres on precipitous slopes
  • a carefully planned or cunning scheme or action:shady financial manoeuvres
  • [mass noun] the fact or process of taking carefully planned or cunning action:the economic policy provided no room for manoeuvre
  • 2 (manoeuvres) a large-scale military exercise of troops, warships, and other forces:the Russian vessel was on manoeuvres

verb (manoeuvres, manoeuvring, manoeuvred)

  • 1move skilfully or carefully: [no object]:the lorry was unable to manoeuvre comfortably in the narrow street [with object and adverbial of direction]:she tried to manoeuvre her trolley round people
  • 2 [with object and adverbial] carefully guide or manipulate (someone or something) in order to achieve an end:they were manoeuvring him into betraying his friend
  • [no object] manipulate a situation to achieve an end: [with infinitive]:Rann was manoeuvring to elope with the girl

Derivatives

manoeuvrer

noun

Origin:

mid 18th century (as a noun in the sense 'tactical movement'): from French manœuvre (noun), manœuvrer (verb), from medieval Latin manuoperare from Latin manus 'hand' + operari 'to work'

Spelling help

Spell manoeuvre with -oeu- in the middle; the ending is -re (the spelling maneuver is American).

manoeuvre in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of manoeuvre in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

  |  Cite

Word of the day

synodic

/ sɪˈnɒdɪk /
adjective
relating to or involving the conjunction of celestial objects …