filibuster

noun

/ˈfɪlɪbʌstə(r)/

/ˈfɪlɪbʌstər/

(especially North American English)

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a long speech made in a parliament in order to delay or prevent a vote
Word Originlate 18th cent.: from French flibustier, first applied to pirates who pillaged the Spanish colonies in the West Indies. In the mid 19th cent. (via Spanish filibustero), the term denoted American adventurers who incited revolution in several Latin American states. The verb was used to describe tactics intended to sabotage US congressional proceedings, which led to the current meaning.

verb

/ˈfɪlɪbʌstə(r)/

/ˈfɪlɪbʌstər/

[intransitive]

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they filibuster	/ˈfɪlɪbʌstə(r)/ /ˈfɪlɪbʌstər/
he / she / it filibusters	/ˈfɪlɪbʌstəz/ /ˈfɪlɪbʌstərz/
past simple filibustered	/ˈfɪlɪbʌstəd/ /ˈfɪlɪbʌstərd/
past participle filibustered	/ˈfɪlɪbʌstəd/ /ˈfɪlɪbʌstərd/
-ing form filibustering	/ˈfɪlɪbʌstərɪŋ/ /ˈfɪlɪbʌstərɪŋ/

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to make a long speech in parliament in order to delay or prevent a vote
- The speaker filibustered spectacularly.