Dictionary
Find
in
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Translations

Click to move up the list of words
filing status
filing system
filiopietistic
Filioque
Filipino
fill
fill in
fill-in
fill light
fill-or-kill order
fill out
fill up
fill-up
fille de joie
filled gold
filler
fillér
Click to move down the list of words
Also available:

World English Dictionary
Dictionnaire Français

filibuster

fil·i·bus·ter [ fílli bùstər ]


noun  (plural fil·i·bus·ters)
Definition:
 
1. political delaying tactic: a tactic used to delay or prevent the passage of legislation, e.g. a long irrelevant speech

2. politics legislative obstructor: an obstructor of the passage of legislation

3. U.S. military military adventurer: a mercenary or irregular in a revolutionary army of a foreign country



verb  (past and past participle fil·i·bus·tered, present participle fil·i·bus·ter·ing, 3rd person present singular fil·i·bus·ters)
Definition:
 
1. transitive and intransitive verb try to block legislation with filibuster: to try to stop legislation being passed by making long speeches

2. intransitive verb U.S. military be a military adventurer abroad: to serve as a mercenary or irregular in a revolutionary army of a foreign country

[Mid-19th century. Via Spanish filibustero< Dutch vrijbuiter "pirate"]

fil·i·bus·ter·er noun
fil·i·bus·ter·ism noun
fil·i·bus·ter·ous adjective
Advertisement

© 2009 Microsoft