manoeuvre
UK /məˈnuːvə/ · US /məˈnuːvɚ/ noun, verb
Also a form of maneuver
Forms manoeuvres manoeuvring manoeuvred
- noun Commonwealth standard spelling of maneuver.
Synonyms
tactic tactics maneuver simulated military operation play tactical maneuver tactical manoeuvre evasive action manoeuver steer direct point head guide channelize channelise operate
Etymology
From Middle French manœuvre (“manipulation, manoeuvre”) and manouvrer (“to manoeuvre”), 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 AD) to mean "chore, manual task", probably as a calque of the Frankish *handwerc (“hand-work”). Compare Old English handweorc, Old English handġeweorc, German Handwerk.
Webster’s 1913
- noun Management; dexterous movement; specif., a military or naval evolution, movement, or change of position.
- noun Management with address or artful design; adroit proceeding; stratagem.
- verb To perform a movement or movements in military or naval tactics; to make changes in position with reference to getting advantage in attack or defense.
- verb To manage with address or art; to scheme.
Etymology [F. manoeuvre, OF. manuevre, LL. manopera, lit., hand work, manual labor; L.manus hand + opera, fr. opus work. See Manual, Operate, and cf. Mainor, Manure.]
Etymology [Cf. F. manoeuvrer. See Maneuver, n.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “manoeuvre”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details