manobrar

Senses

1. 1.

   to maneuver, to handle

   to operate or control a vehicle, machine, or object skillfully

2. 2.

   to maneuver, to park

   to move a vehicle into position, especially when parking

3. 3.

   to maneuver, to manipulate

   to manipulate a situation or person cunningly to one's advantage

Examples

• "É difícil manobrar o carro nessa vaga apertada."

  It's hard to maneuver the car into this tight spot.

• "O capitão conseguiu manobrar o navio para evitar a colisão."

  The captain managed to maneuver the ship to avoid the collision.

• "Ele sempre tenta manobrar as pessoas para conseguir o que quer."

  He always tries to manipulate people to get what he wants.

Usage

Common in driving contexts, especially for parking ("manobrar o carro"). Can have a negative connotation when referring to manipulating people or situations. The noun form is "manobra" (maneuver).