Maneuver

Pronunciation

• IPA: /məˈnuːvÉš/
• Hyphenation: ma + neu + ver
• Rhymes: -uːvÉ™(ɹ)

Alternative forms

• manoeuvre British
• maneuvre, manoeuver nonstandard
• manÅ“uver, manÅ“uvre British, obsolete

Origin

From Middle French manœuvre ("manipulation, maneuver") and manœuvrer ("to maneuver"), from Old French manovre ("handwork, manual labour"), from Medieval Latin manopera, manuopera ("work done by hand, handwork"), from manu ("by hand") + operari ("to work"). First recorded in the Capitularies of Charlemagne (800 CE) to mean "chore, manual task", probably as a calque of the Frankish *handwerc ("hand-work"). Compare Old English handweorc, handġeweorc, German Handwerk.

Full definition of maneuver

Noun

1. A movement, often one performed with difficulty.Parallel parking can be a difficult maneuver.
2. (often in the plural) A large training field-exercise of military troops.The army was on maneuvers.Joint NATO maneuvers are as much an exercise in diplomacy as in tactics and logistics.
3. An adroit or cunning action; a stratagem.

Verb

1. (transitive) To move (something) carefully, and often with difficulty, into a certain position.
2. (figurative, transitive) To guide, steer, manage purposefully
3. (figurative, intransitive) To intrigue, manipulate, plot, scheme
4. ''The patriarch maneuvered till his offspring occupied countless key posts