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A.Word.A.Day--filibuster

This week's theme: Words related to pirates

filibuster (FIL-uh-bus-tuhr)

verb tr., intr.: 1. To block or delay the passage of legislation, especially by making prolonged irrelevant speeches.
2. To block or delay something.

noun: Such a delaying tactic.

[Filibuster was another name for pirates in the "Golden Age of Piracy", from roughly 1650 to 1720. From Spanish filibustero, from French flibustier, from Dutch vrijbuiter (freebooter or pirate).]

"Anyway, [the megaphone] came in handy. For while the public address system filibustered, Mortlake filled in."
Geoffrey Mortlake; Megaphone Diplomacy Helps Crowd But Baffles Tony; The Observer (London, UK); Aug 27, 2006.

See more usage examples of filibuster in Vocabulary.com's dictionary.

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