[Spaceships] I'm closing on nothing, and 4 other confusions.

[Anaraxes]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

I can't prove whether it actually originated in military usage or whether it's something SF writers invented

With the British spelling ("manoeuvre"), Google Ngram shows a case as far back as 1836, itself a record of a Parliamentary debate from 1810. The phrase was used in reference to a political debate tactic, so presumably it was common enough currency to have been adopted into that sort of generalized use.

Under the US spelling, Ngram takes off in 1940. The British spelling shows sporadic spikes until about 1940 as well, when a larger climb ensues.

The 1810 date is early enough that it probably lets SF off the hook, even for a generous definition of SF. I'd guess that the phrase was popularized during WW II, thanks to all the servicemen that got exposed to it, and simply adopted into SF.

I don't have access to the OED, but I'm now curious as to what they have to say.