slush fund

/slʌʃ'fʌnd/
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Definition

Noun: - A sum of money used for illicit purposes, especially for bribery or corrupt political activities: A "slush fund" is money that is set aside, often secretly or unofficially, for dishonest or unethical purposes, such as bribing officials or influencing decisions through improper payments. - A reserve of money for unspecified or minor expenses: Historically, the term referred to money collected from the sale of ship's waste (like fat or grease) to buy small comforts for sailors. This older, more general sense is now rare.

Examples
  • Noun:
    • The investigation revealed that the company maintained a slush fund to bribe foreign officials.
    • Politicians accused of using campaign donations as a personal slush fund faced public outrage.
    • (Historical) The ship's slush fund was used to purchase tobacco and extra food for the crew.
Advanced Usage
  • "To have/operate/maintain a slush fund": This phrasing is commonly used to describe the possession or management of such a fund.
    • The corrupt department was found to have operated a slush fund for over a decade.
  • The term almost always carries a strong negative connotation of secrecy and corruption in modern usage.
Variants and Related Words
  • Slush money (n): A less common synonym for money used for bribery.
    • The scandal involved millions in slush money.
  • Slush (n, original nautical sense): Grease or fat from cooked meat, especially on a ship. This is the etymological root.
Synonyms
  • Bribery fund: A fund specifically for giving bribes.
  • Kickback fund: Money used for illicit payments, often as a reward for favorable treatment.
  • Slush money: Money used for corrupt purposes.
Related Phrases
  • Off-the-books account: An unofficial or secret account not recorded in formal financial statements, similar in concept to a slush fund.
  • Slush fund scandal: A common collocation referring to a public controversy involving such funds.
    • The mayor was embroiled in a slush fund scandal.
Related Idioms
  • To grease someone's palm: To bribe someone. While not containing the word "slush," this idiom relates to the corrupt use of money, which is the primary function of a slush fund.
    • They had to grease a few palms to get the contract approved.
Noun
  1. a fund for buying votes or bribing public officials