Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The flesh of a pig or hog used as food.
  • noun Government funds, appointments, or benefits dispensed or legislated by politicians to gain favor with their constituents.
  • intransitive verb To eat ravenously; gorge oneself. Used with out.
  • intransitive verb To become fat. Used with out.
  • intransitive verb To engage in sexual intercourse with (another). Used especially of a man.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A swine; hog; pig; porker.
  • noun The flesh of swine, used as meat.
  • noun A stupid, obstinate, or ignorant person; a pig-headed fellow.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The flesh of swine, fresh or salted, used for food.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun uncountable The meat of a pig; swineflesh.
  • noun US, politics, slang Funding proposed or requested by a member of Congress for special interests or his or her constituency as opposed to the good of the country as a whole.
  • verb transitive, slang, vulgar To have sex (with someone)

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a legislative appropriation designed to ingratiate legislators with their constituents
  • noun meat from a domestic hog or pig

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, from Old French porc, pig, from Latin porcus; see porko- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English pork, porc, via Anglo-Norman from Old French porc ("swine, hog, pig", also "pork"), from Latin porcus ("domestic hog, pig"), from Proto-Indo-European *porḱ- (“young swine, young pig”). Cognate with Old English fearh ("young pig, hog"). More at farrow.

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Examples

  • I will admit 350 billion in pork is alot of cash ...... we'll have to see if these "pet projects", create more stability and jobs in various districts and states.

    Bayh urges Obama to veto spending bill 2009

  • So they cut about 2 billion in pork from the funds to be used to continue warfare in Iraq and Afghanistan lol.

    Think Progress » Senate Votes To Cut Funding For Troops In Iraq and Afghanistan 2006

  • Opposition lawmakers had said they won't let the bond bill pass unless Mr. Kan's cabinet first cancels what they call "pork barrel" policies in the budget, such as allowances for families with children.

    Tokyo Approves Budget Amid Fight Takashi Nakamichi 2011

  • However, when McCain made a big deal of her rejection of the money for the project, which he called a pork-barrel project, Palin came under much criticism by Democrats and even a few Republicans, including Mike Elerding, who helped Palin in her running for governor in 2006.

    The Real News: Palin was for 'Bridge to Nowhere' 2008

  • He recently came on this program, right here in THE SITUATION ROOM, and predicted that McCain's campaign is over because McCain voted for that financial rescue plan that was laden with what he described as pork barrel spending.

    CNN Transcript Oct 14, 2008 2008

  • That bailout bill, as you now know, has quite a few extras, what they call pork barrel projects, more than $100 billion worth, including tax breaks for wooden arrows.

    CNN Transcript Oct 2, 2008 2008

  • The conservative commentator say he thinks it's over for McCain because he voted for the bailout legislation even though it included tens of billions of dollars with what they call pork barrel spending after promising he wouldn't do so.

    CNN Transcript Oct 2, 2008 2008

  • A lot of what we call pork spending comes in what Congress calls earmarks -- it's friendlier sounding -- anonymous pet projects that bypass the usual review process.

    CNN Transcript Jul 3, 2007 2007

  • BLITZER: But there's still plenty of what they call pork barrel spending, the earmarks, the pet projects, the hundreds of millions, if not billions of dollars that go for certain projects that may not necessarily be all that useful, but a lawmaker wants them, a lobby wants them, and this is a reason why there's a lot of Americans who are losing faith with the Congress.

    CNN Transcript Sep 26, 2007 2007

  • President Bush today used his weekly radio address to slam congressional Democrats for weighing down war funding bills with what he calls pork and a timetable for withdrawal.

    CNN Transcript Mar 31, 2007 2007

Comments

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  • Taken at Yorktown, "900 barrels of beef and pork." A week or two later, the report added an additional "365 barrels pork, (weight) 75,750 lb."

    October 29, 2007

  • My friend's room smells like pork. We cannot figure out why.

    July 23, 2008

  • Could pork be the phantom culprit?

    July 23, 2008

  • Well, were it not for the fact that the only food in her room is chocolate and that we would probably be crucified if we had meat upstairs, I would've thought so. But it appears logic plays no part in the aroma pervading her bedroom.

    July 23, 2008

  • If not pork, there can only be one explanation: pork pies.

    July 23, 2008

  • Unless you're talking about the hat, I doubt that very much. My friend is coeliac.

    July 23, 2008

  • Then the pork pies are presumably gluten-free.

    July 23, 2008

  • Pies don't often do well when made gluten-free, I've found. The pastry tends to fall apart too easily. Also, I'm not sure pork pies are really worth the effort of seeking out a coeliac bakery.

    July 23, 2008

  • On a side note: I've finally figured out why turkey bacon exists. It is kosher. For years, I thought it was because turkey was healthier than pork. Since bacon is usually fried, I couldn't see why you'd care. I know you're all thinking, "duh jen", but this was one of moments when the world suddenly made sense. Clearly, I need my horizons broadened.

    July 23, 2008

  • In that case I'm stumped.

    Turkey bacon?

    July 23, 2008

  • Which point confuses you?

    *glad she's not the only one*

    July 24, 2008

  • Well, I'm unable to determine the source of plethora's friend's room's pork aromas (porkarama?), and I'm also stumped by the concept of turkey bacon. I.e., what is it?

    Perhaps the two mysteries are in some way linked.

    July 24, 2008

  • If I'm honest, it's not the first time this particular girl has had a malodorous room, so perhaps I shouldn't be surprised.

    I believe turkey bacon is some sort of faux bacon product that is actually made of turkey. There is also a soy bacon product available. Whether or not either product actually tastes like bacon remains to be seen.

    July 24, 2008

  • Turkey bacon looks like bacon, but made from kosher meat. It's probably good if you've never had the real deal.

    July 24, 2008

  • What else has your friend's room smelled of, plethora?

    July 24, 2008

  • Mostly indefinable things, yarb. There was one rather memorable term where it smelled like blocked plumbing.

    July 24, 2008

  • Have you looked under the bed? It's been my experience, as a mom, that that's a prime source of hork-inducing odors.

    July 24, 2008

  • Your friend might be onto something, plethora. If there's a market for turkey bacon, perhaps there's also one for imitation pork aroma. Turn it into a science project! Perhaps the swear jar fund would invest in some R & D?

    July 24, 2008

  • Did anyone else notice what rhymes with 'pork?'

    July 24, 2008

  • There is no such thing as under our beds, unfortunately.

    July 24, 2008

  • pleth -- no under the bed? Where do you keep your monsters?

    July 24, 2008

  • Morepork rhymes with pork.

    July 24, 2008

  • In the staffroom, generally, dc.

    That's a good idea, bilby! I wonder if there's a pork scented ester.

    What's R&D?

    July 24, 2008

  • Research and Development.

    July 24, 2008

  • I think we need to break pleth out of this restricted color zoned, underbedless, hork inducing pork-smelling, meateater crucifying, sorry excuse for school. Who's with me?

    July 24, 2008

  • Dontcry, aren't we still in Italy with Prolagus?

    *confused*

    July 29, 2008

  • Yes, and therefore, closer to pleth, making the getting to the breaking out...um...faster?

    Maybe we should talk this out over some pasta and a glass of red.

    July 29, 2008

  • Pork = contraction of porch hork.

    Doncry, are you really in Italy? I think I met you a couple of days ago.

    July 29, 2008

  • Pro - Oh, baby, I wish it was me you met! I haven't been to Italy since 1980. I love and miss it so... my favorite place on planet earth!

    July 29, 2008

  • Pasta? A glass of red? Gee, this porch is swanky!

    Pro: What dontcry said. I'm envious.

    July 29, 2008

  • rt & pro -- you guys make my life so interesting! Mr. "dontcry" is breathing down my neck and wants to go to bed (what can I say?). He's a great guy, but just doesn't get some of my stuff. I loves him so, though!

    Night, night!

    July 29, 2008

  • Aw shucks, dontcry. Go spend some time with Mr. dontcry. That's what counts. :-)

    July 30, 2008

  • I'm taking pics of my vacation in Italy (Sardinia and Torino). They're all on Flickr, organized in sets. Sorry but since I'm not good at taking photos, I tend to be more interested in silly details rather than landscapes and people. Hope you'll enjoy them anyway!

    July 30, 2008

  • More pictures of food, please! You're having way too much fun -- and where am I??

    July 30, 2008

  • *runs through, looking around for narwhal, does not see*

    August 28, 2008