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You are here: Home / Language / Where Did the Term “Slush Fund” Come From and What Does it Mean?

Where Did the Term “Slush Fund” Come From and What Does it Mean?

March 19, 2020 by Karen Hill

The term slush began as a sailors’ reference to the grease from the cook’s galley, which was used to lubricate the ships masts.

Where Did the Term Slush Fund Come From and What Does it Mean?

When the voyage was over, the surplus grease was sold, and the money was put into a “slush fund” to be shared by the enlisted men.

By 1839, when a ship returned to port, any surplus supplies or battle-damaged equipment was also sold and the money added to the profits from the grease in the slush fund.

These days, a “slush fund” refers to a stash of surplus money.

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Filed Under: Language

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

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