Meanings
plural manoeuvres
- Commonwealth standard spelling of maneuver.
The system also reacts to unexpected traffic situations and handles them independently by employing evasive manoeuvres within the lane or by braking manoeuvres
2021, “Mercedes-Benz self-driving car technology approved for use”, in Fleet news
present singular third person manoeuvres · participle present manoeuvring · participle past manoeuvred · past manoeuvred
- Commonwealth standard spelling of maneuver.
Three pairs of double doors are provided on each side, wide enough to take pallet trucks, and strengthened floors to allow the trucks to manoeuvre inside the vehicle.
1959 November, “Talking of Trains: S.R. Motor Luggage Vans”, in Trains Illustrated, page 523
Synonyms & antonyms
nouna military training exercise
nouna deliberate coordinated movement requiring dexterity and skill
verbdirect the course; determine the direction of travelling
verbperform a movement in military or naval tactics in order to secure an advantage in attack or defense
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Frankish*handwerc“hand-work”
- Medieval Latinmanopera
- Old Frenchmanovre“handwork, manual labour”
- Middle Frenchmanœuvre“manipulation, manoeuvre”
- Englishmanoeuvre
From Middle French manœuvre (“manipulation, manoeuvre”) and manouvrer (“to manoeuvre”), from Old French manovre (“handwork, manual labour”), 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 *handwerc (“hand-work”). Compare Old English handweorc, Old English handġeweorc, German Handwerk.
More words from Middle French, Old French, Medieval Latin
Full word history & related roots →Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with manoeuvre
All rhymes →Cite this entry
manoeuvre. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/manoeuvre
“manoeuvre.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/manoeuvre. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “manoeuvre,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/manoeuvre.
Source: manoeuvre on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.