manoeuvre

American  

[muh-noo-ver] / məˈnu vər /

noun

manoeuvred, manoeuvring

1. Chiefly British. a variant of maneuver.

---

manoeuvre British  

/ məˈnuːvə /

noun

1. a contrived, complicated, and possibly deceptive plan or action

   political manoeuvres

2. a movement or action requiring dexterity and skill

3. 1. a tactic or movement of one or a number of military or naval units

   2. (plural) tactical exercises, usually on a large scale

4. a planned movement of an aircraft in flight

5. any change from the straight steady course of a ship

---

verb

1. (tr) to contrive or accomplish with skill or cunning

2. (intr) to manipulate situations, etc, in order to gain some end

   to manoeuvre for the leadership

3. (intr) to perform a manoeuvre or manoeuvres

4. to move or deploy or be moved or deployed, as military units, etc

Other Word Forms

• manoeuvrability
  noun
• manoeuvrable
  adjective
• manoeuvrer
  noun
• manoeuvring
  noun

Etymology

Origin of manoeuvre

C15: from French, from Medieval Latin manuopera manual work, from Latin manū operāre to work with the hand

Example Sentences

"PC Brealey remained leaning into the driver's window during this manoeuvre."

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

We see them appear out of the dark at speed to make the delicate manoeuvre to feed their fuel-hungry jets - locking on to a hose trailing from the tanker wing.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

More thrillingly, there was the dazzling two-footed manoeuvre that took him into a shooting position at the end of the game.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026

The source added that if there were no mines "convoys can form more easily and travel at higher speeds, and the frigates can manoeuvre around the ships they are protecting".

From Barron's • Mar. 18, 2026

Sometimes this manoeuvre can be justified; but often it gives rise to a new sort of Whig history.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton