Link Centre Dictionary

log

UK/lɒɡ/ US/lɔɡ/ common slang
noun (6) verb (2)

noun

1.

a segment of the trunk of a tree when stripped of branches

2.

large log at the back of a hearth fire

Synonyms
3.
4.

a written record of messages sent or received

  • “they kept a log of all transmission by the radio station”
  • “an email log”
5.

a written record of events on a voyage (of a ship or plane)

6.

measuring instrument that consists of a float that trails from a ship by a knotted line in order to measure the ship''s speed through the water

verb

1.

enter into a log, as on ships and planes

2.

cut lumber, as in woods and forests

Synonyms

Origin

From Middle English logge, logg (first recorded in Anglo-Latin as loggum), of uncertain origin, but probably from Old Norse lóg, lág (“felled tree, log”), derived from Old Norse liggja (“to lie”). If so, then cognate with Norwegian låg (“fallen tree”), Dutch loog (“wood, timber, lumber”). Alternatively, directly from Norwegian låg (“fallen tree”), which could have been borrowed through the Norwegian timber trade. However the Old Norse/Middle Norwegian vowel is long while Middle English vowel is short.

Phrases

  • ants on a log
  • as easy as rolling off a log
  • bandar log
  • Christmas log
  • common log
  • drop a log
  • Dutchman's log
  • easy as falling off a log
  • easy as rolling off a log
  • flog the log
  • key log
  • log in

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Narrower terms

See also

Parts

Part of

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.