wirepulling

American  

[wahyuhr-pool-ing] / ˈwaɪərˌpʊl ɪŋ /

noun

1. an act of pulling wires.

2. the use of influence to manipulate persons or organizations, as political organizations, for one's own ends.

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Etymology

Origin of wirepulling

First recorded in 1825–35; wire + pull ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

There ensued seven days of picturesque wrangling and wirepulling, which the French press characterized almost unanimously as "scandalous."

From Time Magazine Archive

Bonsal came to his rescue, and so became acquainted with wirepulling, involved, ambiguous Colonel Edward House, of Texas, the Harry Hopkins of the Wilson regime.

From Time Magazine Archive

He did no visible wirepulling, showed no interest in kingmaking, and�except for visits with aging, trigger-tempered Teamster Chief Dan Tobin�he steered clear of smoke-filled rooms.

From Time Magazine Archive

Equally out of date is the fervent wirepulling that once plagued Ivy admissions men.

From Time Magazine Archive

Since no elections were permitted, all appointments and removals were made from military headquarters, which soon became political beehives, centers of wirepulling and agencies for the distribution of spoils.

From The Sequel of Appomattox : a chronicle of the reunion of the states by Fleming, Walter Lynwood