Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To maneuver around and behind the flank of (an opposing force).
  • transitive verb To gain a tactical advantage over (a competitor, for example).

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To go or extend beyond the flank or wing of; hence, to out-manœuver; get the better of. See flank.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb (Mil.) To go beyond, or be superior to, on the flank; to pass around or turn the flank or flanks of.
  • transitive verb To outmaneuver in a competition; to bypass a competitor's main defenses.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb transitive To maneuver around and behind the flank of (an opposing force).
  • verb transitive To gain a tactical advantage over (a competitor, for example).

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb go around the flank of (an opposing army)
  • verb get the better of

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

out- +‎ flank

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Examples

  • It doubles the number of sabres to be used against the enemy; and it enables the cavalry to cover double the ground; thus doubling, also, its power to outflank, which is a valuable advantage, especially when opposed to cavalry.

    A Treatise on the Tactical Use of the Three Arms: Infantry, Artillery, and Cavalry 1857

  • I'm also concerned that if Obama does NOT put a woman on the ticket, McCain may "outflank" the Democrats by running with a female VP candidate -- maybe Kay Hutchison or Jodi Rell.

    Exit Polls: Obama Cut Deep Into Hillary's Core Constituencies 2009

  • Labour, we are told plans to "outflank" Cameron on the EU.

    A vast network of influence Richard 2008

  • Neither is it the pursuit of the fruitless objective to project media images intended to "outflank" or "out-compete" other forces for national democratic change, in a meaningless contest to advertise any claimed revolutionary credentials.

    ANC Today 2006

  • Neither is it the pursuit of the fruitless objective to project media images intended to "outflank" or "out-compete" other forces for national democratic change, in a meaningless contest to advertise any claimed revolutionary credentials.

    ANC Today 2006

  • We have all grown more familiar than we probably like to acknowledge with Israel using its channels to Capitol Hill and in America's pro-Israel community to "outflank" an American administration -- and virtually always to the right.

    MRZine.org 2010

  • We have all grown more familiar than we probably like to acknowledge with Israel using its channels to Capitol Hill and in America's pro-Israel community to "outflank" an American administration -- and virtually always to the right.

    MRZine.org 2010

  • We have all grown more familiar than we probably like to acknowledge with Israel using its channels to Capitol Hill and in America's pro-Israel community to "outflank" an American administration -- and virtually always to the right.

    MRZine.org 2010

  • But Germany later invaded by going around ( "outflank") the Maginot Line.

    Conservapedia - Recent changes [en] 2009

  • But Germany later invaded by going around ( "outflank") the Maginot Line.

    Conservapedia - Recent changes [en] 2009

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