manoeuvre
Americannoun
noun
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a contrived, complicated, and possibly deceptive plan or action
political manoeuvres
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a movement or action requiring dexterity and skill
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a tactic or movement of one or a number of military or naval units
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(plural) tactical exercises, usually on a large scale
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a planned movement of an aircraft in flight
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any change from the straight steady course of a ship
verb
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(tr) to contrive or accomplish with skill or cunning
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(intr) to manipulate situations, etc, in order to gain some end
to manoeuvre for the leadership
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(intr) to perform a manoeuvre or manoeuvres
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to move or deploy or be moved or deployed, as military units, etc
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of manoeuvre
C15: from French, from Medieval Latin manuopera manual work, from Latin manū operāre to work with the hand
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Airlink's flying feat divided opinion with some labelling the startling manoeuvre reckless, while others praised the precision and expertise on display.
From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026
He said passengers were told that the landing had been aborted, and then he felt a "very violent manoeuvre" and "did think we could crash".
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
That leaves the markets with less room for manoeuvre, he pointed out.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
In addition, the incident was not caused by "an aggressive or deliberate manoeuvre", and it was on the opening lap, when more leeway is applied.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
The giant’s own momentum lifted him off his feet in an unintentional pole-vault manoeuvre and he flipped over onto his back.
From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan
According to the UK defence source, the Russian frigate appeared to have been "drifting rather than being manoeuvred under power, which may have made her feel more vulnerable".
From Barron's ● Jun. 16, 2026
With a steady hand, she manoeuvred a huge wind turbine section, five metres in diameter, across the yard.
From Barron's ● Mar. 7, 2026
An hour's drive northwest of Paris, near Amiens, in a large barn surrounded by gentle green hills, a muscular, 700kg Holstein cow manoeuvred herself into an automated milking enclosure, watched by her owner, Sophie Lenaerts.
From BBC ● May 5, 2024
However, he wrote in a witness statement that his Tesla "automatically manoeuvred its way around the police vehicle to prevent a collision" because it was in self-drive mode.
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2023
He manoeuvred the ship over the ruins of Epidaurus.
From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan
Ex-health minister Wes Streeting, also manoeuvring for the top job, said Tuesday the prime minister should be given "space over the weekend" to consider his future.
From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026
It's this manoeuvring that put Lee Jae-yong in jail.
From BBC ● Apr. 29, 2026
Both sides have been manoeuvring around these positions all year, trying to reinforce roads access and fortifications around them.
From BBC ● Dec. 10, 2025
For months however, factions within the ZANU-PF have been manoeuvring for the extension.
From Barron's ● Oct. 18, 2025
The Nazis are manoeuvring him like a pawn.
From "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
