maneuver

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A skillful or carefully planned movement.

   Parallel parking can be a tricky maneuver for new drivers.

2. 2
   verb

   To move or guide something skillfully, especially into a tight or difficult position.

   She maneuvered the truck slowly through the narrow gate.

3. 3
   noun

   A clever or cunning action taken to gain an advantage.

   His resignation was just a political maneuver to win sympathy.

4. 4
   verb

   To act cleverly or scheme in order to achieve a goal.

   He maneuvered for years to get the top job.

5. 5
   noun

   A large-scale military exercise or troop movement.

   The army was away on maneuvers near the border.

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.

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