Influence or control shrewdly or deviously:
— He manipulated public opinion in his favor.

synonyms: pull strings, pull wires.

Roget 379: touch, feel, handle, finger, thumb, paw, fumble, grope, grabble; twiddle, tweedle; pass the fingers over, run the fingers over; manipulate, wield; throw out a feeler.    ... show more

Roget 677: use, make use of, employ, put to use; put in action, put in operation, put in practice; set in motion, set to work.    ply, work, wield, handle, manipulate; play, play off; exert, exercise, practice, avail oneself of, profit by, resort to, have recourse to, recur to, take betake oneself to; take up with, take advantage of; lay one's hands on, try.    render useful etc. 644; mold; turn to account, turn to use; convert to use, utilize; work up; call into play, bring into play; put into requisition; call forth, draw forth; press into service, enlist into the service; bring to bear upon, devote, dedicate, consecrate, apply, adhibit^†, dispose of; make a handle of, make a cat's-paw of.    fall back upon, make a shift with; make the most of, make the best of.    use up, swallow up; consume, absorb, expend; tax, task, wear, put to task.    ... show more

Hold something in one's hands and move it.

Tamper, with the purpose of deception.

synonyms: cook, fake, falsify, fudge, misrepresent, wangle.

Manipulate in a fraudulent manner.

synonym: rig.

Maintain influence over (others or oneself) skillfully, usually to one's advantage:
— She manipulates her boss.

synonyms: control, keep in line.

Treat manually, as with massage, for therapeutic purposed.