manipulate
/mə'nipjuleit/
Học thuậtThân thiện
A physical therapist uses gentle motions to manipulate the patient's shoulder.
Definition
- Verb:
- To handle or control something skillfully, especially with the hands: This meaning refers to physically operating or adjusting something with dexterity.
- To control or influence someone or something cleverly, unfairly, or unscrupulously: This meaning refers to managing situations or people to one's own advantage, often in a deceptive or indirect way.
- To alter or present data in a skillful but deceptive way: This meaning refers to changing information, figures, or records to create a false impression.
Examples of Usage
- Verb:
- A technician can manipulate the controls to calibrate the machine. (This shows skillful physical handling.)
- The politician was accused of trying to manipulate public opinion before the election. (This shows influencing people cleverly and often unfairly.)
- It is illegal for companies to manipulate stock prices. (This shows controlling something unscrupulously.)
- The accountant was fired for manipulating the financial records. (This shows altering data deceptively.)
Advanced Usage
- "To manipulate someone into doing something": to cleverly and often unfairly persuade someone to do what you want.
- He manipulated his colleague into taking the blame for the mistake.
- "To manipulate a situation": to control or influence the circumstances of a situation to achieve a desired outcome.
- She skillfully manipulated the situation to her advantage.
Variants and Related Words
- Manipulation (n): The action of manipulating something or someone.
- The manipulation of the data was discovered by auditors.
- Manipulative (adj): Characterized by attempting to control or influence others in a clever and often unfair way.
- He used manipulative tactics to get his way.
- Manipulator (n): A person who controls or influences others in a clever and unscrupulous way.
- She was a shrewd manipulator of the media.
Synonyms
- Handle: To touch, hold, or move with the hands. (More neutral, less connotative of control.)
- Control: To exercise authoritative or dominating influence over. (Broader, can be direct or indirect.)
- Exploit: To use someone or a situation unfairly for one's own advantage. (Stronger negative connotation of unfair use.)
- Engineer: To arrange or bring about skillfully and often deviously. (Similar connotation of clever planning.)
Related Phrasal Verbs
(Note: "Manipulate" is not commonly used with particles to form standard phrasal verbs. Its meanings are typically expressed through the verb itself with prepositions like "into" or "for.")
Related Idioms
- "Pull the strings": To control events or the actions of other people, often secretly.
- Although he wasn't the manager, he was the one pulling the strings behind the scenes. (This idiom is conceptually related to the idea of manipulating people or situations.)
A physical therapist uses gentle motions to manipulate the patient's shoulder.
Verb
- treat manually, as with massage, for therapeutic purposed
- control (others or oneself) or influence skillfully, usually to one's advantage
- She manipulates her boss
- She is a very controlling mother and doesn't let her children grow up
- The teacher knew how to keep the class in line
- she keeps in line
- manipulate in a fraudulent manner
- rig prices
- tamper, with the purpose of deception
- Fudge the figures
- cook the books
- falsify the data
- hold something in one's hands and move it
- influence or control shrewdly or deviously
- He manipulated public opinion in his favor