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maneuver

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The definition of maneuver is a careful and skillful move or series of moves or a scheme or plot that requires skill to carry out.

(noun)

An example of a maneuver is parallel parking.
An example of a maneuver is a scheme to hide money losses that involves tricky financial maneuvers.

To maneuver is defined as to move in a skillful manner or to complete a series of skillful moves or a carefully planned scheme.

(verb)

An example of maneuver is when you have to turn your car to parallel park.
An example of manuever is when you are carrying out the steps of a devious plan.

See maneuver in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

a planned and controlled tactical or strategic movement of troops, warships, aircraft, etc.
large-scale practice movements and exercises of troops, warships, aircraft, etc. under simulated combat conditions
any skillful change of movement or direction in driving a vehicle, controlling a spacecraft, etc.; specif.,
1. any change of movement by a flying aircraft
2. a series of movements by an aircraft according to a specific pattern, as a roll, a loop, etc.
any movement or procedure intended as a skillful or shrewd step toward some objective; stratagem; artifice; scheme

Origin: Fr manœuvre, orig., hand labor < VL manuopera < L manu operare, to work by hand < manus, a hand (see manual) + opera, pl. of opus, a work: see opus

intransitive verb, transitive verb

to perform or cause to perform a maneuver or maneuvers
to manage or plan skillfully or shrewdly; manipulate or scheme
1. to direct or guide (a vehicle, tool, etc.) with skill and dexterity
2. to move, lead, get, put, make, compel, etc. (a person or thing) by some stratagem or scheme

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See maneuver in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

a. A strategic or tactical military or naval movement.
b. A large-scale tactical exercise carried out under simulated conditions of war. Often used in the plural.
A controlled change in movement or direction of a moving vehicle or vessel, as in the flight path of an aircraft.
A movement or procedure involving skill and dexterity.
a. A strategic action undertaken to gain an end.
b. Artful handling of affairs that is often marked by scheming and deceit. See Synonyms at wile.

verb ma·neu·vered, ma·neu·ver·ing, ma·neu·vers

verb, intransitive

To carry out a military or naval maneuver.
To make a controlled series of changes in movement or direction toward an objective: maneuvered to get closer to the stage.
To shift ground; change tactics: The opposition had no room in which to maneuver.
To use stratagems in gaining an end.

verb, transitive

To alter the tactical placement of (troops or warships).
To direct through a series of movements or changes in course: maneuvered the car through traffic.
To manipulate into a desired position or toward a predetermined goal: maneuvered him into signing the contract. See Synonyms at manipulate.

Origin:

Origin: French manœuvre

Origin: , from Old French maneuvre, manual work

Origin: , from Medieval Latin manuopera

Origin: , from Latin manū operārī, to work by hand

Origin: : manū

Origin: , ablative of manus, hand; see man-² in Indo-European roots

Origin: + operārī, to work; see op- in Indo-European roots

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