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slush fund

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noun
a sum of money used for illicit or corrupt political purposes, as for buying influence.
Nautical. a fund from the sale of slush, refuse fat, etc., spent for any small luxuries.
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Origin of slush fund

First recorded in 1855–60

Words nearby slush fund

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use slush fund in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for slush fund

slush fund

noun
a fund for financing political or commercial corruption
US nautical a fund accumulated from the sale of slush from the galley
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for slush fund

slush fund

A collection of money by a political official or administration that is used to make payments for various services. Though slush funds may be used for legitimate purposes, such as paying state employees, the term is generally used to describe money that is not properly accounted for and is being used for personal expenses and political payoffs. Money raised for political campaigns has come under increasing public scrutiny to ensure that it is not misused.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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