outgeneral

See also: out-general

English

Alternative forms

• out-general

Etymology

From out- +‎ general.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /aʊtˈdʒɛnɹəl/

Verb

outgeneral (third-person singular simple present outgenerals, present participle outgeneralling or outgeneraling, simple past and past participle outgeneralled or outgeneraled)

1. (transitive) To outdo or surpass (someone) in military skill or leadership.
   • 1776 October 8, John Adams, Letter from John Adams to Abigail Adams‎^[1]:

     In general, our Generals were out generalled on Long Island, and Sullivan and Stirling with 1000 Men were made Prisoners, in Consequence of which, and several other unfortunate Circumstances, a Council of War thought it prudent to retreat from that Island, and Governors Island and then from New York.

   • 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “A Proposal of Marriage”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 133:

     The door closed after him, and his nephew felt that he had been completely outgeneraled. He now saw, what he had only suspected before, that his uncle wished him to marry Constance.

   • 2002, Colin Jones, The Great Nation, Penguin, published 2003, page 239:

     With far fewer troops at his disposal, Frederick had out-generaled and out-manoeuvred the flower of Austro-French chivalry – and out-strategized it too [...].