LOG

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. ølike 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. [ME: orig. unkn.]