manoeuvre
verb/məˈnuːvə(r)/
/məˈnuːvər/
(US English maneuver)
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they manoeuvre | /məˈnuːvə(r)/ /məˈnuːvər/ |
| he / she / it manoeuvres | /məˈnuːvəz/ /məˈnuːvərz/ |
| past simple manoeuvred | /məˈnuːvəd/ /məˈnuːvərd/ |
| past participle manoeuvred | /məˈnuːvəd/ /məˈnuːvərd/ |
| -ing form manoeuvring | /məˈnuːvərɪŋ/ /məˈnuːvərɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive, transitive] to move or turn with skill or care; to move or turn something with skill or care
- manoeuvre (for something) The yachts manoeuvred for position.
- There was very little room to manoeuvre.
- manoeuvre something (+ adv./prep.) She manoeuvred the car carefully into the garage.
Extra ExamplesTopics Transport by waterc1- He carefully manoeuvred the boat past the rocks.
- You will need to learn how to manoeuvre in a confined space.
- [intransitive, transitive] to control or influence a situation in a way that shows skill but is sometimes dishonest
- The new laws have left us little room to manoeuvre (= not much opportunity to change or influence a situation).
- manoeuvre something + adv./prep. She manoeuvred her way to the top of the company.
Extra Examples- Both leaders are manoeuvring for position.
- He was determined not to be manoeuvred into things he didn't want to do.
- There have been months of political manoeuvring.
Word Originmid 18th cent. (as a noun in the sense ‘tactical movement’): from French manœuvre (noun), manœuvrer (verb), from medieval Latin manuoperare from Latin manus ‘hand’ + operari ‘to work’.
Check pronunciation:
manoeuvre