1. n. & v.
--n.
1. an unhewn piece of a felled tree, or a similar rough mass of wood, esp. cut for firewood.
2 a a float attached to a line wound on a reel for gauging the speed of a ship. b any other apparatus for the same purpose.
3 a record of events occurring during and affecting the voyage of a ship or aircraft (including the rate of a ship's progress shown by a log: see sense 2).
4 any systematic record of things done, experienced, etc.
5 LOGBOOK.
--v.tr. (logged, logging)
1. a enter (the distance made or other details) in a ship's logbook. b enter details about (a person or event) in a logbook. c (of a ship) achieve (a certain distance).
2 a enter (information) in a regular record. b attain (a cumulative total of time etc. recorded in this way) (logged 50 hours on the computer).
3 cut into logs.
Phrases and idioms:
like a log
1. in a helpless or stunned state (fell like a log under the left hook).
2 without stirring (slept like a log). log cabin a hut built of logs. log in log on.
log-jam
1. a crowded mass of logs in a river.
2 a deadlock. log-line a line to which a ship's log (see sense 2 a. of n.) is attached. log on (or off) go through the procedures to begin (or conclude) use of a computer system.
Etymology: ME: orig. unkn. 2. n. a logarithm (esp. prefixed to a number or algebraic symbol whose logarithm is to be indicated).
Etymology: abbr.