maneuver
noun
Maneuver — a calculated action designed to outwit or evade an opponent
Definition
An action aimed at evading an opponent
In depth
A maneuver is an action specifically aimed at evading an opponent, a calculated movement or strategy executed with precision and foresight. The word spans military, athletic, and political contexts, in each case describing a deliberate tactical move designed to gain advantage or avoid being caught at a disadvantage.
Origin
The word descends from French manoeuvrer, to work by hand, formed from main (hand) and oeuvre (work), ultimately from Latin manu operari, to work by hand. That origin in manual labor has broadened considerably, the modern sense retaining only the idea of skilled, deliberate execution, no longer tied literally to the hands.
Usage examples
"The pilot's evasive maneuver, executed in a split second, avoided what would otherwise have been a catastrophic collision."
"Her political maneuver outflanked rivals who had assumed her support was already secured."
"The dancer's final maneuver, impossibly precise, drew gasps from an audience that had thought it had already seen the routine's best moment."
How to use it
Maneuver is broadly useful across military, sports, business, and political writing, valuable wherever a writer wants to describe a deliberate, skillfully executed action designed to achieve advantage or avoid disadvantage.
Related concepts
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