Gerrymander

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Gerrymander \Ger`ry*man"der\, v. t. [imp. & p. p.
     {Gerrymandered}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Gerrymandering}.]
     To divide (a State) into districts for the choice of
     representatives, in an unnatural and unfair way, with a view
     to give a political party an advantage over its opponent.
     [Political Cant, U. S.]


     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: This was done in Massachusetts at a time when Elbridge
           Gerry was governor, and was attributed to his
           influence, hence the name; though it is now known that
           he was opposed to the measure. --Bartlett.
           [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  gerrymander
       n : an act of gerrymandering (dividing a voting area so as to
           give your own party an unfair advantage)
       v : divide unfairly and to one's advantage; of voting districts

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  29 Moby Thesaurus words for "gerrymander":
     angle, borough, caucus, close borough, congressional district,
     contrive, election district, engineer, finagle,
     gerrymandered district, intrigue, jockey, machinate, maneuver,
     manipulate, play games, plot, pocket borough, politicize, precinct,
     pull strings, rotten borough, safe district, scheme,
     silk-stocking district, single-member district, swing district,
     wangle, ward