maneuver
maneuver — noun
1. the standard American English spelling of the British English word 'manoeuvre'
the standard American English spelling of the British English word 'manoeuvre'
In American English, you spell 'maneuver' without the 'o' after the 'n'.
spelling variant: US vs British
British writers use 'manoeuvre', but Americans prefer the shorter spelling 'maneuver'.
Yumi's dictionary app shows 'maneuver' as the US spelling and 'manoeuvre' as the British one.
When writing for an American audience, always use 'maneuver' instead of 'manoeuvre'.
用法筆記
This entry uses the US spelling 'maneuver'. The British variant 'manoeuvre' has the same pronunciation and all the same meanings.
2. a planned movement of soldiers, vehicles, ships, or aircraft carried out as a tr
a planned movement of soldiers, vehicles, ships, or aircraft carried out as a training exercise or as part of a battle
The army held large-scale maneuvers near the border to test troop readiness.
collocation: large-scale maneuvers
Naval maneuvers involving two aircraft carriers were postponed because of the storm.
Recruits practiced basic battlefield maneuvers on the training ground every morning.
The general ordered a diversionary maneuver to confuse the opposing forces.
International military exercises help allied nations build stronger cooperation.
用法筆記
Often used in the plural (maneuvers) to refer to large-scale training exercises. Frequently paired with 'military', 'naval', or 'field' as modifiers.
常見錯誤
3. a controlled physical movement that requires care, skill, and good judgment, esp
a controlled physical movement that requires care, skill, and good judgment, especially to avoid obstacles or reach a target position
The driver made a sharp maneuver to avoid a dog that ran onto the road.
collocation: sharp maneuver
Parking in this narrow space requires a complex maneuver with at least three turns.
The dentist's careful maneuver saved the patient's cracked tooth from being pulled.
Zayd turned his wheelchair with a smooth maneuver to get through the narrow doorway.
The crane operator made a smooth maneuver, lowering the beam onto the marked spot.
用法筆記
Commonly describes driving, parking, or physical actions where precision is needed. Often modified by adjectives such as 'sharp', 'quick', 'smooth', 'dangerous', or 'complex'.
常見錯誤
4. a step someone plans carefully in order to get an advantage over other people, o
a step someone plans carefully in order to get an advantage over other people, often by outsmarting them
The company's latest marketing maneuver helped it pull ahead of its main competitor.
collocation: marketing maneuver
The senator resigned before the vote, a clever maneuver that caught rivals off guard.
In chess, a well-timed maneuver can trap the opponent's queen.
Shareholders saw the buyback as a short-term maneuver to raise prices before executives sold.
Otis saw the job offer as a strategic move to weaken his current employer.
- tactic
more neutral and systematic; can be part of a larger strategy
- ploy
suggests a trick or deception more strongly than maneuver does
- stratagem
more formal and literary; strongly implies clever deception
- gambit
often used in chess and metaphorically; implies a risky move that sacrifices something for long-term gain
用法筆記
Often carries a slightly negative or neutral connotation — it implies self-interest or cunning rather than honesty. In business and politics, 'political maneuver' and 'tactical maneuver' are common collocations.
常見錯誤
maneuver — verb
1. to move soldiers, vehicles, ships, or aircraft in a planned way during training
to move soldiers, vehicles, ships, or aircraft in a planned way during training or battle, especially to get a better position against an enemy
The general maneuvered the tanks toward the left flank under cover of night.
transitive: maneuver + troops + direction
Troops maneuvered through thick forest for two days before reaching the enemy camp.
intransitive: maneuver + through + location
The navy maneuvered its destroyers into a formation that blocked access to the port.
During the exercise, soldiers maneuvered across the river using inflatable rafts.
The pilot maneuvered the helicopter behind the hill to stay out of radar range.
文法句型
maneuver + noun (troops/ships) + adverb/preposition
maneuver + adverb/preposition (no object)
用法筆記
Can be transitive (move troops/vehicles) or intransitive (troops move themselves). The intransitive use is more common in infantry contexts. Distinguish from verb sense 2: this sense has a military objective, not just physical skill.
常見錯誤
2. to guide a vehicle, an object, or your own body carefully through a tight or dif
to guide a vehicle, an object, or your own body carefully through a tight or difficult space
Paul carefully maneuvered the large sofa through the narrow apartment doorway.
pattern: maneuver + object + through + space
The pilot maneuvered the small plane safely through a bank of thick clouds.
Yasmin maneuvered her bicycle between the crowded market stalls without hitting anyone.
The crane operator maneuvered the heavy steel beam into position above the building site.
Henrik maneuvered the delivery truck into a tight loading bay without scraping the paint.
文法句型
maneuver + noun (vehicle/object) + preposition (through/into/around)
用法筆記
The direct object is the thing being moved — a vehicle, piece of furniture, or even your own body. Almost always followed by a prepositional phrase indicating path or destination (through, into, around, between).
常見錯誤
3. to use clever or indirect methods to gain an advantage, especially in a competit
to use clever or indirect methods to gain an advantage, especially in a competitive situation such as business or politics
Valentina maneuvered behind the scenes for months to become the next department head.
pattern: maneuver behind the scenes + for + goal
Junior executives maneuvered for the attention of the CEO during the company merger talks.
Élise maneuvered to get her proposal approved through allies in other departments.
Fashion designers constantly maneuver for a better slot at the annual show.
Kabir maneuvered to shift the blame for the failed project onto his colleague.
文法句型
maneuver for + noun (power/position/advantage)
maneuver to-infinitive
用法筆記
Intransitive only — there is no direct object. The goal appears in a 'for'-phrase or 'to'-infinitive. Often implies behind-the-scenes activity and may carry a mildly negative connotation of self-interest or dishonesty.
常見錯誤
4. to guide a person, situation, or process toward a desired outcome through carefu
to guide a person, situation, or process toward a desired outcome through careful and often indirect control — for example, maneuvering a bill through Parliament or maneuvering someone into a difficult position
The lobbyist maneuvered the bill through Congress by securing key votes behind closed doors.
pattern: maneuver + thing + through + process
Tuan maneuvered his younger brother into apologizing first by pretending to be deeply hurt.
Mira maneuvered the conversation toward the topic she wanted to discuss.
The experienced manager maneuvered the team through a difficult restructuring without losing any key staff.
Inês maneuvered the negotiation to a conclusion that satisfied both sides.
- manipulate
stronger negative connotation; implies unfair or deceptive control
- engineer
suggests careful planning and arrangement; slightly more formal
- orchestrate
implies coordinating multiple elements like a conductor; more metaphorical
文法句型
maneuver + noun + preposition (into/through/out of)
用法筆記
Distinguish from verb sense 3 (SCHEME): sense 3 describes the agent's own positioning (intransitive), while sense 4 describes the agent controlling a separate entity (transitive). The direct object can be a person, a document, a conversation, or any process.