Word: logrolling Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From log + rolling, the figurative senses from the practice of neighbors helping each other do heavy work such as rolling logs in connection with clearing land and building. Pronunciation: /ˈlɒɡˌɹəʊlɪŋ/, /ˈlɑɡˌɹoʊlɪŋ/, /ˈlɔɡ-/ 1. The rolling of logs from one place to another; an occasion when people meet to help each other roll logs. Labels: US, countable Example: As most of the county was covered with forest, it was necessary to clear the land of trees, in order to make way for farming operations. Clearing of the land was accomplished by means of logrollings, a practice whereby logs were heaped into great piles and burned. Much valuable timber was destroyed in that manner, but, as no markets existed for timber, it was the most expedient method of ridding the land of trees. Logrollings continued until probably 50 years ago, when markets for forest products arose and timber began to be sawed and sold. Example: Logrollings, for example, which occurred during the winter and early spring, took place in a series until the logs on every neighbor's farm were piled. So with many other chores, for cooperative patterns of work form an integral part of productive organization. 2. The rolling of logs from one place to another; an occasion when people meet to help each other roll logs. Labels: US, uncountable 3. The rolling of logs from one place to another; an occasion when people meet to help each other roll logs. Labels: US, uncountable Example: Harkening back to the days when loggers had to break river jams free by carefully stepping out on floating logs, logrolling is all about maintaining balance. Also called birling, logrolling requires competitors to go head-to-head on a single log, trying to toss the other guy into the water by forcing him to lose his balance. 4. A concerted effort to push forward mutually advantageous legislative agendas by combining two items, either or both of which might fail on its own, into a single bill that is more likely to pass. Labels: US, figuratively, uncountable Example: What, for instance, did the honorable member for North Melbourne (Mr. Curtain) care about the Horsham extension? Not twopence, unless it helped him to get the "outer circle" line. It was much the same with the honorable member for Crowlands (Mr. Woods), the honorable member for the Avoca (Mr. Grant), the honorable member for South Gippsland (Mr. Mason), and others. In fact it was felt during the whole of the discussion that there was an excellent chance for good wholesale log-rolling. He believed a more wholesale attempt at log-rolling never was made. Example: Thus far, by a resort to the familiar method of "log-rolling," all attempts to put an end to the Northern and Southern divisions have failed, because of the union of the opposing interests with those that want large appropriations in different parts of the State; and it is quite probable that the same tactics will be successful in the future at all general sessions. 5. Mutual recommendation of friends' or colleagues' services or products, such as book recommendations in literary reviews. Labels: US, figuratively, uncountable Example: Near-synonym: backscratching Example: The show around him [The Celebrity Apprentice], with its cast of backbiting reality retreads and its blatant logrolling – the first challenge involved a beauty line put out by Tyra Banks, one of Mr. [Arnold] Schwarzenegger's "advisers" – was pretty much the same as always.