Library / English Dictionary

MANOEUVRE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

An action aimed at evading an opponent

Synonyms:

evasive action; maneuver; manoeuvre

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("manoeuvre" is a kind of...):

evasion (the act of physically escaping from something (an opponent or a pursuer or an unpleasant situation) by some adroit maneuver)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "manoeuvre"):

clinch ((boxing) the act of one boxer holding onto the other to avoid being hit and to rest momentarily)

airplane maneuver; flight maneuver (a maneuver executed by an aircraft)

straight-arm ((American football) the act of warding off a tackler by holding the arm fully extended with the hand against the opponent)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A move made to gain a tactical end

Synonyms:

maneuver; manoeuvre; tactical maneuver; tactical manoeuvre

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("manoeuvre" is a kind of...):

move (the act of deciding to do something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "manoeuvre"):

measure; step (any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal)

artifice; ruse (a deceptive maneuver (especially to avoid capture))

gambit; ploy; stratagem (a maneuver in a game or conversation)

footwork (skillful maneuvering or dealing)

feint (any distracting or deceptive maneuver (as a mock attack))

device; gimmick; twist (any clever maneuver)

parking (the act of maneuvering a vehicle into a location where it can be left temporarily)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A deliberate coordinated movement requiring dexterity and skill

Example:

the runner was out on a play by the shortstop

Synonyms:

maneuver; manoeuvre; play

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("manoeuvre" is a kind of...):

motion; move; movement (the act of changing location from one place to another)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "manoeuvre"):

mousetrap; trap play ((American football) a play in which a defensive player is allowed to cross the line of scrimmage and then blocked off as the runner goes through the place the lineman vacated)

blitz; linebacker blitzing; safety blitz ((American football) defensive players try to break through the offensive line)

shot; stroke ((sports) the act of swinging or striking at a ball with a club or racket or bat or cue or hand)

footwork (the manner of using the feet)

baseball play ((baseball) a play executed by a baseball team)

obstruction (getting in someone's way)

jugglery (the performance of a juggler)

icing; icing the puck ((ice hockey) the act of shooting the puck from within your own defensive area the length of the rink beyond the opponent's goal)

assist ((sports) the act of enabling another player to make a good play)

ball hawking (a skillful maneuver in catching balls or in stealing the ball from the opposing team)

completion; pass completion ((American football) a successful forward pass in football)

figure (a predetermined set of movements in dancing or skating)

takeaway (the act of taking the ball or puck away from the team on the offense (as by the interception of a pass))

Holonyms ("manoeuvre" is a part of...):

athletic game (a game involving athletic activity)

Derivation:

manoeuvre (direct the course; determine the direction of travelling)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A military training exercise

Synonyms:

maneuver; manoeuvre; simulated military operation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("manoeuvre" is a kind of...):

military operation; operation (activity by a military or naval force (as a maneuver or campaign))

Domain category:

armed forces; armed services; military; military machine; war machine (the military forces of a nation)

Holonyms ("manoeuvre" is a part of...):

military training (training soldiers in military procedures)

Derivation:

manoeuvre (perform a movement in military or naval tactics in order to secure an advantage in attack or defense)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A plan for attaining a particular goal

Synonyms:

maneuver; manoeuvre; tactic; tactics

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("manoeuvre" is a kind of...):

plan of action (a plan for actively doing something)

Derivation:

manoeuvre (act in order to achieve a certain goal)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Perform a movement in military or naval tactics in order to secure an advantage in attack or defense

Synonyms:

maneuver; manoeuver; manoeuvre; operate

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "manoeuvre" is one way to...):

go; move (have a turn; make one's move in a game)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "manoeuvre"):

jockey (compete (for an advantage or a position))

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something PP
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

manoeuvre (a military training exercise)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Direct the course; determine the direction of travelling

Synonyms:

channelise; channelize; direct; guide; head; maneuver; manoeuver; manoeuvre; point; steer

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "manoeuvre" is one way to...):

command; control (exercise authoritative control or power over)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "manoeuvre"):

park (maneuver a vehicle into a parking space)

corner; tree (force a person or an animal into a position from which he cannot escape)

channel (direct the flow of)

navigate; pilot (act as the navigator in a car, plane, or vessel and plan, direct, plot the path and position of the conveyance)

conn (conduct or direct the steering of a ship or plane)

starboard (turn to the right, of helms or rudders)

stand out (steer away from shore, of ships)

navigate (direct carefully and safely)

crab (direct (an aircraft) into a crosswind)

helm (be at or take the helm of)

pull over (steer a vehicle to the side of the road)

sheer (cause to sheer)

dock (maneuver into a dock)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP

Derivation:

manoeuvre (a deliberate coordinated movement requiring dexterity and skill)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Act in order to achieve a certain goal

Example:

She maneuvered herself into the directorship

Synonyms:

maneuver; manoeuver; manoeuvre

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "manoeuvre" is one way to...):

act; move (perform an action, or work out or perform (an action))

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

manoeuvre (a plan for attaining a particular goal)

Credits

 Context examples: 

One young man managed to rupture the back of his throat during this manoeuvre, leaving him barely able to speak or swallow, and in considerable pain.

(Blocking A Sneeze, Man Ruptures Throat, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Do as you pleased, she always made more leeway than anything else, and turning round and round was the manoeuvre she was best at.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

But I have long thought Mr. Bertram one of the worst subjects to work on, in any little manoeuvre against common sense, that a woman could be plagued with.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

The hostile gang was temporarily disconcerted by the manoeuvre, then it dashed from the train in pursuit.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

The party was divided and disposed of on two contiguous benches: Anne was among those on the foremost, and Mr Elliot had manoeuvred so well, with the assistance of his friend Colonel Wallis, as to have a seat by her.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

Leaning a little back on my bench, I could see the looks and grimaces with which they commented on this manoeuvre: it was a pity Mr. Brocklehurst could not see them too; he would perhaps have felt that, whatever he might do with the outside of the cup and platter, the inside was further beyond his interference than he imagined.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

He was laying up trouble for himself, for lack of food and short tempers went together; but with the boundless faith of youth he persisted in repeating the manoeuvre every little while, though it never succeeded in gaining anything for him but discomfiture.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

The excitement of these last manoeuvres had somewhat interfered with the watch I had kept hitherto, sharply enough, upon the coxswain.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

I have seen in his face a far different expression from that which hardens it now while she is so vivaciously accosting him; but then it came of itself: it was not elicited by meretricious arts and calculated manoeuvres; and one had but to accept it—to answer what he asked without pretension, to address him when needful without grimace—and it increased and grew kinder and more genial, and warmed one like a fostering sunbeam.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

The third rose nearly two hundred feet into the air above a clump of underwood—a giant of a vegetable, with a red column as big as a cottage, and a wide shadow around in which a company could have manoeuvred.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)