manoeuvre the apostles

English edit

Pronunciation edit

  • (file)

Verb edit

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 edit

[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.