I. ˈläbē, -bi noun
( -es )
Etymology: Medieval Latin lobium, lobia, laubia covered walk, gallery, portico, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German louba, louppea protective roof, porch — more at lodge
1.
a. : a corridor or hall connected with a larger room or series of rooms and used as a passageway or waiting room
ignorant where the narrow lobbies led — Emily Brontë
this lobby of many doors at the head of the windowed staircase — Elizabeth Bowen
the small lobby of the post office — Willard Robertson
as
(1) : one of the two corridors or anterooms of the British House of Commons to which members go to vote when the House divides on a motion
time and again, on issues of foreign policy, Labor and Conservative MPs have gone into the same lobby — New Republic
(2) : a large hall serving as a foyer or anteroom
a hotel lobby
a theater lobby
(3) : an anteroom of a capitol
b. archaic : a small room or enclosure: as
(1) : a small apartment on board ship
(2) : a small enclosed pen for cattle
(3) : a watchman's enclosure in or outside a factory
2.
a. : the persons who frequent the lobbies of a legislative house to do business with the members ; specifically : persons not members of a legislative body and not holding government office who attempt to influence legislators or other public officials through personal contact
b. : a particular group of such persons representing a special interest
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-es )
intransitive verb
1. : to conduct activities (as engaging in personal contacts or the dissemination of information) with the objective of influencing public officials and especially members of a legislative body with regard to legislation and other policy decisions
lobby for their proposals when they reached the floor of the legislature — Gladys M. Kammerer
2. : to attempt to secure a desired objective by the use of methods resembling or held to resemble those of a political lobbyist
members successfully lobbied among the convention delegates — New Republic
transitive verb
1. : to influence or attempt to influence with regard to policy decisions and especially proposals for legislation
wine, dine, and lobby the legislature — Newsweek
2.
a. : to promote and especially to secure the passage of (as legislation) by influencing public officials
the man who lobbied the prohibition law through Congress — Herbert Asbury
b. : to advance or otherwise secure favorable treatment for (as a desired project) by influencing public officials before the beginning or following the completion of the legislative process