ENGLISH
REFERENCE

maneuver

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //məˈnuvɝ// UK //mənˈuːvɐ// ma·neu·ver

v. to move something carefully or skillfully to reach a goal. You use this when you guide a car, a team, or a situation with control.

v. to guide or move with care and skill, especially in a difficult situation. Transitive; takes a direct object.


SIMPLE

She maneuvered the car into the tight spot.

CONTEXTUAL

The captain maneuvered the ship through the storm without damage.

COMPLEX

The diplomat maneuvered the opposing parties toward a compromise by carefully balancing their demands.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle French manœuvre (“manipulation, maneuver”) and manouvrer (“to maneuver”), from Old French manovre (“handwork, manual labor”), 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 AD) to mean "chore, manual task", probably as a calque of the Frankish *handuwerk (“hand-work”). Compare Old English handweorc, Old English handġeweorc, German Handwerk. The verb is a doublet of the verb manure.

Usage

The verb is transitive and takes a direct object.

Idioms1 entry

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