manoeuvre the apostles

English

Pronunciation

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Verb

manoeuvre the apostles (third-person singular simple present manoeuvres the apostles, present participle manoeuvring the apostles, simple past and past participle manoeuvred the apostles)

1. (idiomatic, archaic) To rob Peter to pay Paul; that is, to borrow money from one person to pay another.

References

[Francis] Grose [et al.] (1811) “Manoeuvre the apostles”, in Lexicon Balatronicum. A Dictionary of Buckish Slang, University Wit, and Pickpocket Eloquence. […], London: […] C. Chappell, […], →OCLC.