Manoeuvre Meaning
/məˈnuːvə/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounCommonwealth standard spelling of maneuver.
Sentence Examples
Birds change the shape of their wings to turn and manoeuvre.
Do you know the Heimlich manoeuvre?
CEFR Practice Quiz
The driver had to ____ carefully through the narrow street filled with parked cars.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The pilot performed a skillful ____ to avoid the storm and land the plane safely on the runway.
Word Origin & History
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.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"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:
"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:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The driver had to ____ carefully through the narrow street filled with parked cars.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The pilot performed a skillful ____ to avoid the storm and land the plane safely on the runway.