Definitions

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

  • transitive verb To surpass (another, especially an opponent) in leadership.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To exceed in generalship; gain advantage over by superior military skill.

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

  • transitive verb To exceed in generalship; to gain advantage over by superior military skill or executive ability; to outmaneuver.

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

  • verb transitive To outdo or surpass (someone) in military skill or leadership.

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

  • verb surpass in generalship

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From out- +‎ general.

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Examples

  • But now I wondered whether Cheney had succumbed to the phenomenon I'd observed among some secretaries of the Army: put a civilian in charge of professional military men and before long he's no longer satisfied with setting policy but wants to outgeneral the generals.

    Schwarzkopf 2008

  • The servant who could outwit or outgeneral her did not exist, and the servant who was not afraid of her lasted scant days.

    Fortune's Favorites McCullough, Colleen, 1937- 1993

  • Three years had now gone by since Metellus Pius and his eight legions had arrived in Further Spain, three years which had seen Sertorius outgeneral and outthink him.

    Fortune's Favorites McCullough, Colleen, 1937- 1993

  • When I met you today I at once knew it was all up with me unless I could outgeneral you -- and I think I have.

    The Mystery of Monastery Farm H. R. Naylor

  • He had spent four hundred dollars in recovering one third of the stolen money, and had suffered the thief to outgeneral him.

    The Mystery of Monastery Farm H. R. Naylor

  • They had seen those young gladiators from the rival towns lock horns, and struggle excitedly for supremacy upon the flat gridiron marked stretch of ground, cheering for one or the other side without prejudice, as their fancy chanced to dictate; but that was not like feeling the brunt of a rush, or trying to outgeneral a swiftly running player with the ball, heading for a touchdown.

    Jack Winters' Gridiron Chums Mark Overton

  • For two or three days and nights they managed to outgeneral all their adversaries, and succeeded bravely in making the best of their way to a Free State.

    The Underground Railroad A Record of Facts, Authentic Narratives, Letters, &c., Narrating the Hardships, Hair-Breadth Escapes and Death Struggles of the Slaves in Their Efforts for Freedom, As Related by Themselves and Others, or Witnessed by the Author. William Still

  • A small number of sober ones were to be seen on deck pacing restlessly back and forth, for the ruthless mosquito was distinctly on evidence, and threatened to outgeneral the quiet ones, if not the orchestra and the hilarious dancers.

    A Woman who went to Alaska May Kellogg Sullivan

  • And there I stuck till "stables" sounded, watching the affable sergeant outgeneral his opponents, and noting with some amusement the sulky look that grew more intensified on the heavy face of Hicks (as they called the man who had favored me with that peculiar stare) when Goodell finessed him out of two or three generous-sized pots.

    Raw Gold A Novel Bertrand W. Sinclair 1926

  • The note she had mailed to her niece was the first advance she had made toward any human being within her memory; and this was not the cry of a dependent but rather the first link in a plot to outgeneral circumstances and place the future within her own control.

    The Wall Between Sara Ware Bassett 1920

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