Definition of maneuver
1 a
:a military or naval movement
b
:an armed forces training exercise;
especially
:an extended and large-scale training exercise involving military and naval units separately or in combination
—often used in plural
- The army and navy conducted maneuvers as training for war.
2
:a procedure or method of working usually involving expert physical movement
- acrobats performing dangerous maneuvers
3 a
:evasive movement or shift of tactics
- permits no room for concession or maneuver
- —Harry Schwartz
b
:an intended and controlled variation from a straight and level flight path in the operation of an airplane
- The aircraft performed such maneuvers as spins, loops, and inverted flights.
4 a
:an action taken to gain a tactical end
- this maneuver almost cost him the nomination
- —H. L. Mencken
b
:an adroit and clever management of affairs often using trickery and deception
- plaintiffs' pretrial maneuvers may be fashioned more with an eye to deterrence or retaliation than to unearthing germane material
- —John Marshall
