What does Filibuster mean?

Definitions for Filibuster
ˈfɪl əˌbʌs tərfil·i·buster

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word Filibuster.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. filibuster, filibusterernoun

    a legislator who gives long speeches in an effort to delay or obstruct legislation that he (or she) opposes

  2. filibusterverb

    (law) a tactic for delaying or obstructing legislation by making long speeches

  3. filibusterverb

    obstruct deliberately by delaying

Wiktionary

  1. filibusternoun

    A freebooter, or mercenary soldier.

    1890 These duties involved prodigious physical and mental exertion, in a climate deadly to Europeans. They also involved much voyaging in waters haunted by filibusters and buccaneers. But nothing appears to daunt Labat. As for the filibusters, he becomes their comrade and personal friend; -- he even becomes their chaplain, and does not scruple to make excursions with them. Lafcadio Hearn, Two Years in the French West Indies.

  2. filibusternoun

    A delaying tactic, especially the use of long, often irrelevant speeches given in order to delay progress or the making of a decision, especially on the floor of the US Senate.

  3. filibusternoun

    A member of a legislative body causing such obstruction.

  4. filibusterverb

    To take part in a private military action in a foreign country.

  5. filibusterverb

    To use obstructionist tactics in a legislative body.

  6. Etymology: From filibustero, from flibustier, from vrijbuiter, from vrij + buit + -er. Same construction and cognate to English freebooter.

Wikipedia

  1. Filibuster

    A filibuster is a political procedure in which one or more members of a legislative body prolong debate on proposed legislation so as to delay or entirely prevent decision. It is sometimes referred to as "talking a bill to death" or "talking out a bill", and is characterized as a form of obstruction in a legislature or other decision-making body.

ChatGPT

  1. filibuster

    A filibuster is a political strategy used primarily in the United States Senate, where a senator extends debate on a proposed bill to delay or prevent its final vote. This is often achieved by making long speeches, introducing irrelevant topics, or other obstructive actions. The purpose is typically to kill the bill or amendment in question or at least delay its passage. The term is derived from a Dutch word meaning "pirate" and was first used in the U.S. Congress in the 1850s.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Filibusternoun

    a lawless military adventurer, especially one in quest of plunder; a freebooter; -- originally applied to buccaneers infesting the Spanish American coasts, but introduced into common English to designate the followers of Lopez in his expedition to Cuba in 1851, and those of Walker in his expedition to Nicaragua, in 1855

  2. Filibusterverb

    to act as a filibuster, or military freebooter

  3. Filibusterverb

    to delay legislation, by dilatory motions or other artifices

  4. Etymology: [Sp. flibuster, flibustero, corrupted fr. E. freebooter. See Freebooter.]

Wikidata

  1. Filibuster

    A filibuster is a type of parliamentary procedure where debate is extended, allowing one or more members to delay or entirely prevent a vote on a given proposal. It is sometimes referred to as talking out a bill, and characterized as a form of obstruction in a legislature or other decision-making body. The English term "filibuster" derives from the Spanish filibustero, itself deriving originally from the Dutch vrijbuiter, "privateer, pirate, robber". The Spanish form entered the English language in the 1850s, as applied to military adventurers from the United States then operating in Central America and the Spanish West Indies such as William Walker. The term in its legislative sense was first used by Democratic congressman Albert G. Brown of Mississippi in 1853, referring to Abraham Watkins Venable's speech against "filibustering" intervention in Cuba.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Filibuster

    Fillibuster, fil′i-bus-tėr, n. a lawless military or piratical adventurer, as in the West Indies: a buccaneer.—v.i. to obstruct legislation wantonly by endless speeches, motions, &c.—n. Fil′ibusterism, the character or actions of a filibuster. [Sp. filibustero, through Fr. flibustier, fribustier, from Dut. vrijbueter, vrijbuiter (cf. Eng. freebooter, Ger. freibeuter), from vrij, free, buit, booty.]

The Nuttall Encyclopedia

  1. Filibuster

    a name given to buccaneers who infested the Spanish-American coasts or those of the West Indies, but more specially used to designate the followers of Lopez in his Cuban expedition in 1851, and those of Walker in his Nicaraguan in 1855; a name now given to any lawless adventurers who attempt to take forcible possession of a foreign country.

Military Dictionary and Gazetteer

  1. filibuster

    A lawless military adventurer, especially one in quest of plunder; a freebooter; a pirate; applied especially to the followers of Lopez in his expedition to Cuba in 1851.

Suggested Resources

  1. filibuster

    Song lyrics by filibuster -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by filibuster on the Lyrics.com website.

Etymology and Origins

  1. Filibuster

    A Spanish and French corruption of the German freibeter, derived from the Dutch vlie-boot, or fly-boat, a small clipper vessel. This was introduced into England during the wars with the Low Countries. The word Freebooter claims the same origin.

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Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of Filibuster in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of Filibuster in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4

Examples of Filibuster in a Sentence

  1. Angus King:

    We have to defend democracy, and I'm afraid that our colleagues have put us in that position. I'm very reluctant to modify the filibuster. But I don't feel I can stand by and see our system subverted.

  2. Mitch McConnell:

    When the Democrat filibuster of the government funding bill ends, the serious, bipartisan negotiations that have been going on for months now to resolve our unfinished business -- military spending; disaster relief; healthcare; immigration and border security -- will continue, it would be my intention to resolve these issues as quickly as possible … Importantly, when I proceed to the immigration debate, it will have an amendment process that is fair to all sides. But the first step in any of this is re-opening the government and preventing any further delay.

  3. Ben Sasse:

    It’s CYA [ cover your a -- ] week in Washington, the Senate is taking a guaranteed-to-fail vote on blowing up the filibuster so that [ Majority Leader ] Chuck Schumer can ward off a primary challenge from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and so that Ron Klain can throw some chum at the Democratic Party’s progressive base.

  4. New York:

    If the question is, do people really care about the filibuster ? I think the answer is probably no, but what people care about is solutions. People care about a government that addresses our problems. And unfortunately, we have a government unwilling to work together.

  5. Marc Morial:

    Voting and democracy is the protector and the empowerer of our voice on every other issue : policing, education, economic equity. Without the right to vote we have no say. No voice. No seat at the table, we're sending a message to members of the United States Senate that we expect them to do everything in their power to protect democracy. If that means reforming the filibuster then so be it.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

Filibuster#10000#23418#100000

Translations for Filibuster

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"Filibuster." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 25 Apr. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/Filibuster>.

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