maneuver

especially British, ma·noeu·vre

[muh-noo-ver]

noun

1. a planned and regulated movement or evolution of troops, warships, etc.

2. maneuvers, a series of tactical exercises usually carried out in the field by large bodies of troops in simulating the conditions of war.

3. an act or instance of changing the direction of a moving ship, vehicle, etc., as required.

4. an adroit move, skillful proceeding, etc., especially as characterized by craftiness; ploy.

   political maneuvers.

   Synonyms: plan, plot, scheme, procedure, artifice, ruse, tactic, stratagem

verb (used with object)

maneuvered, maneuvering 

1. to change the position of (troops, ships, etc.) by a maneuver.

2. to bring, put, drive, or make by maneuvers.

   He maneuvered his way into the confidence of the enemy.

   Synonyms: intrigue, contrive, scheme

3. to manipulate or manage with skill or adroitness.

   to maneuver a conversation.

   Synonyms: finesse, handle

4. to steer in various directions as required.

verb (used without object)

maneuvered, maneuvering 

1. to perform a maneuver or maneuvers.

2. to scheme; intrigue.

   Synonyms: plan, plot

maneuver

/ məˈnuːvə /

noun

1. the usual US spelling of manoeuvre

Other Word Forms

• maneuverable adjective
• maneuverability noun
• maneuverer noun
• unmaneuvered adjective
• maneuvering noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of maneuver¹

First recorded in 1470–80 for an earlier sense; 1750–60 for current noun sense; from French manoeuvre, Middle French manuevre “handwork,” derivative of Old French manuvrer, from Latin manū operāre “to do handwork,” equivalent to manū (ablative of manus “hand”) + operāre “to work” ( operate ); replacing earlier maanorre “manual labor,” Middle French, as above

Example Sentences

Search and rescue operations have been challenging because of the way the building had collapsed, leaving only narrow voids for rescuers to maneuver in, authorities said last week.

Read more on BBC

After a Red Bull aerobatic helicopter improbably flipped over its rotor and pulled itself out of a dive at the last second, a group of children near the shore started imitating the maneuver in somersaults.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

A conditional use permit could codify requirements for Silver and subsequent owners, McOsker said, such as spacing the RVs to allow emergency vehicles to easily maneuver.

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Yet the money almost always came with strings attached, leaving survivors and recovery workers maneuvering to match the funding with actual needs.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Many of the employees were Latino or Mexican, or maneuvered like veteran hospitality people, flipping tortillas and preparing salsas, or furiously mixing drinks.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• action 
• gimmick 
• manipulation 
• measure 
• movement 
• plot 
• ploy 
• procedure 
• ruse 
• scheme 
• step 
• stunt 
• trick