pocket borough: Meaning and Definition of

pock'et bor"ough

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. (before the Reform Bill of 1832) any English borough whose representatives in Parliament were controlled by an individual or family.
  2. an election district under the control of an individual, family, or group.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.