logrolling

[lawg-roh-ling, log-] /ˈlɔgˌroʊ lɪŋ, ˈlɒg-/
noun
1.
U.S. Politics. the exchange of support or favors, especially by legislators for mutual political gain as by voting for each other's bills.
2.
cronyism or mutual favoritism among writers, editors, or critics, as in the form of reciprocal flattering reviews; back scratching.
3.
the action of rolling, logs to a particular place.
4.
the action of rotating a log rapidly in the water by treading upon it, especially as a competitive sport; birling.
Origin
1785-95, Americanism; log1 + rolling

logroll

[lawg-rohl, log-] /ˈlɔgˌroʊl, ˈlɒg-/
verb (used with object)
1.
to procure the passage of (a bill) by logrolling.
verb (used without object)
2.
to engage in political logrolling.
Origin
1825-35, Americanism; back formation from logrolling
Related forms
logroller, noun
Examples from the web for logrolling
  • US domestic politics and logrolling is a factor you must also consider in relations.
  • Norms of reciprocity and logrolling insured the survival of appropriations which had cleared individual committees.
  • The one subject rule is intended to prevent logrolling and riders.
British Dictionary definitions for logrolling

logrolling

/ˈlɒɡˌrəʊlɪŋ/
noun
1.
(US) the practice of undemocratic agreements between politicians involving mutual favours, the trading of votes, etc
2.
another name for birling See birl1

logroll

/ˈlɒɡˌrəʊl/
verb
1.
(mainly US) to use logrolling in order to procure the passage of (legislation)
Derived Forms
logroller, noun
Word Origin and History for logrolling
n.

also log-rolling, in the legislative vote-trading sense, 1823, American English, from the notion of neighbors on the frontier helping one another with the heavy work of clearing land and building cabins (as in phrase you roll my log and I'll roll yours); see log (n.1) + rolling.

LOG-ROLLING. 1. In the lumber regions of Maine it is customary for men of different logging camps to appoint days for helping each other in rolling the logs to the river, after they are felled and trimmed -- this rolling being about the hardest work incident to the business. Thus the men of three or four camps will unite, say on Monday, to roll for camp No. 1, -- on Tuesday for camp No. 2, -- on Wednesday for camp No. 3, -- and so on, through the whole number of camps within convenient distance of each other. [Bartlett]

logrolling in Culture

logrolling definition


In politics, advance agreement by legislators to vote for one another's bills. Logrolling is most common when legislators are trying to secure votes for bills that will benefit their home districts. For example, a group of congressmen from the Middle West pushing for higher dairy prices and a group of southern congressmen supporting higher tobacco prices might make a logrolling agreement in order to get both bills passed.

Slang definitions & phrases for logrolling

logrolling

noun

The congressional practice of canny reciprocal assistance in getting votes: Thus, when members of Congress find themselves not able to secure the passage of a measure of purely local interest, they are apt to resort to logrolling

[1823+; said to be based on a proverbial phrase, ''You roll my log and I'll roll yours'']