Back-scratchers' activity

• Rotating a log rapidly in the water (as a competitive sport)
• Work toward the passage of some legislation by exchanging political favors such as trading votes
• Especially trading of influence or votes among legislators to gain passage of certain projects
• Lumberjack's sport
• Act of exchanging favors for mutual gain

Wikipedia Word definitions in Wikipedia
In medicine , in particular, in emergency medicine , the log roll or logrolling is a maneuver used to move a patient without flexing the spinal column . Patient's legs are stretched, the head is held, to immobilize the neck. Some sources recommend patient's ...

Wiktionary Word definitions in Wiktionary
n. 1 The rolling of logs. 2 A concerted effort to push forward mutually advantageous legislative agendas by combining two items, either or both of which might fail on its own, into a single bill that is more likely to pass. 3 Mutual recommendation of friends' ...

WordNet Word definitions in WordNet
n. act of exchanging favors for mutual gain; especially trading of influence or votes among legislators to gain passage of certain projects rotating a log rapidly in the water (as a competitive sport) [syn: birling ]

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary Word definitions in Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
also log-rolling , in the legislative vote-trading sense, 1823, American English, from the notion of neighbors on the frontier helping one another with the heavy work of clearing land and building cabins (as in phrase you roll my log and I'll roll yours ...