manoeuvre

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
manoeuvre /məˈnuːvə/ (US maneuver)

▶noun

• 1 a physical movement or series of moves requiring skill and care.

• 2 a carefully planned scheme or action.

• 3 (manoeuvres) a large-scale military exercise.

▶verb (manoeuvres, manoeuvring, manoeuvred)

• 1 perform or carry out a manoeuvre.

• 2 carefully guide or manipulate (someone or something) in order to achieve an end.

– derivatives
manoeuvrability noun,
manoeuvrable adjective,
manoeuvrer noun.

– origin C18: from Fr. manœuvre (n.), manœuvrer (v.), from med. L. manuoperare from L. manus ‘hand’ + operari ‘to work’.