outflank
/aʊtˈflaŋk
/verb [with object]
1Move round the side of (an enemy) so as to outmanoeuvre them: the Germans had sought to outflank them from the north-east...
- Static warfare prevented observation of anything beyond the front line by ground forces, which could not hope to outflank the enemy to observe unseen.
- It was designed to deliver a frontal strike and to create a chance to outflank the enemy's strong points.
- ‘We're going to outflank the enemy and catch them by surprise,’ she told them.
1.1Outwit: an attempt to outflank the opposition...
- He has so far cleverly outwitted and outflanked this attempt to marginalize him on the political stage.
- The promotion was an attempt to outflank its rival, which was winning over viewers by hiring younger, more attractive presenters.
- His call to buy more shares and move away from residential property has been labelled an attempt to outflank political opponents on the right.
