vote
[noun]
Synonyms:
- poll, ballot, franchise, plebiscite, referendum, show of hands
[verb]
Synonyms:
- elect, cast one's vote, opt

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English Thesaurus: election, ballot, referendum, the polls, show of hands, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. vote¹ S2 W2 /vəʊt $ voʊt/ verb
[Word Family: noun: vote, voter; verb: vote]

1. IN ELECTION/TO SUPPORT [intransitive and transitive] to show which person or party you want, or whether you support a plan, by marking a piece of paper, raising your hand etc:
In 1918 British women got the right to vote.
vote for/against/in favour of
I voted for the Labour candidate in the last election.
53% of Danes voted in favour of the Maastricht treaty.
vote on
The people of Ulster had finally been given a chance to vote on the issue.
vote to do something
Congress voted to increase foreign aid by 10%.
Shareholders voted to reject the offer.
vote Democrat/Republican/Labour/Conservative etc
I’ve voted Democrat all my life. ⇒ block voting at block¹(5)

2. vote somebody into/out of power/office/parliament etc to elect or dismiss someone by voting:
The chances are that the government will be voted out of office.

3. CHOOSE FOR PRIZE [transitive] to choose someone or something for a particular prize by voting for them
vote somebody/something sth
In 1981 Henry Fonda was voted Best Actor for ‘On Golden Pond’.

4. MONEY [transitive] if a parliament, committee etc votes a sum of money for something, they decide by voting to provide money for that particular purpose
vote something for something
Parliament has voted £20 million extra funding for road improvements.

5. vote something a success/the best etc British English if people vote something a success etc, they all agree that it is a success:
The evening was voted a great success.

6. I vote ... spoken used to say that you prefer one particular choice or possible action
vote (that)
I vote we go to the movies.
I vote ... for
‘What do you want to eat?’ ‘I vote for Mexican.’

7. vote with your wallet British English
a) (also vote with your pocketbook American English) to vote for someone or something that you think will help you have the most money:
People generally vote with their pocketbooks against new taxes.
b) (also vote with your dollars American English) to show you like something by choosing to buy it:
Readers vote with their wallets every day when they choose a newspaper.

8. vote with your feet to show that you do not support a decision or action by leaving a place or organization

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. vote² S2 W2 noun
[Word Family: noun: vote, voter; verb: vote]
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Latin; Origin: votum 'promise, wish', from vovere 'to promise']

1. CHOICE BY VOTING [countable] an act of voting in an election or meeting, or the choice that you make when you vote:
A vote for us is not a wasted vote.
The proposal was rejected by 19 votes to 7.
vote for/in favour (of)/against
The House of Representatives approved the budget, with 52 votes in favor, 16 against and 12 abstentions.
cast your vote (=vote in a political election)
Harkin won 74 percent of the votes cast.
policies designed to win votes in the South
It’s the club secretary that counts the votes. ⇒ casting vote

2. OCCASION OF VOTING [countable usually singular] an occasion when a group of people vote in order to decide something or choose a representative Synonym : ballot:
The results of the vote were surprising – 80% of workers favoured strike action.
vote on
There will be a citywide vote (=all the voters in a particular city) on the matter.
take/have a vote (on something)
Unless anyone has anything to add, we’ll take a vote.
Let’s have a vote on it.
put something to the/a vote (=decide something by voting)
Let’s put it to the vote. All those in favor raise your hands. ⇒ free vote

3. the vote
a) the total number of votes made in an election:
Davis won the election with 57% of the vote.
The Greens increased their share of the vote from 2.9 to 4.9%.
b) the right to vote in political elections:
In France women didn’t get the vote until 1945.
At that time black people did not yet have the vote.

4. the ... vote
a) the black/Jewish/middle-class etc vote black, Jewish etc voters, or their votes:
The black vote is astonishingly loyal to the Democratic Party.
b) the Labour/Conservative/Green etc vote British English the total number of votes the Labour Party, Conservative Party etc win in an election:
The Green vote looks likely to increase again.

5. RESULT OF VOTING [singular] the result of a vote:
A close vote is expected.
The motion was passed by a vote of 215 to 84.

6. somebody/something gets my vote spoken used to say that you are ready to support someone or something, or that you think that someone or something is the best of their kind:
Anything that will mean a better deal for our children gets my vote.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

vote
noun
I. choice/decision made by voting
ADJ. majority | huge, massive, overwhelming, resounding an overwhelming vote in favour of autonomy
unanimous | close, knife-edge, narrow | two-thirds, two-to-one, etc. | democratic, direct, free Members of Parliament will have a free vote on this bill.
transferable The single transferable vote system is it since women have had the vote?
give sb operates.
fair | secret | popular The law was ratified by popular vote. | casting, decisive | crucial | affirmative, favourable, yes | adverse, negative, no | dissenting | protest He lost the election because of the protest vote.
tactical | floating, swing | absent, expatriate, postal, proxy | invalid, valid | congressional, parliamentary | individual | block The union wants the system of block votes to continue.
historic
VERB + VOTE have, put sth to the, take We should put the resolution to the vote. Let's take a vote on the issue.
have The chairperson always has the casting vote.
cast, record (formal) You can cast your vote at the local polling station. 50% of the eligible voters recorded their vote.
gain, get, obtain, poll, receive, secure, win Our candidate polled only 10% of the vote.
swing factors that could swing the vote against the president
count Votes are still being counted.
VOTE + VERB go to sb/sth My vote will go to the party that addresses crime.
fall The party's vote fell by 6%.
increase, rise | double, treble, etc.
PREP. by ~ The bill was passed by a single vote. Members are elected by direct vote.
~ against, ~ for a vote for the government
~ in favour (of sth), ~ on a vote on the new law
PHRASES a vote of confidence/no confidence The government received a massive vote of confidence from the electorate.
a vote of thanks A special vote of thanks went to the organizer, Tim Woodhouse.
 ⇒ Special page at MEETING

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

vote
III. the vote: legal right to vote in elections
VERB + VOTE have How many years

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

vote
verb
ADV. overwhelmingly | unanimously The committee voted unanimously to accept the plans.
narrowly The Senate voted narrowly to continue funding the scheme.
formally The proposals were formally voted upon.
tactically | down, in, out The proposal was voted down.
VERB + VOTE be eligible to, be entitled to young people who are eligible to vote for the first time
intend to
PREP. against They voted overwhelmingly against the proposal.
for They all voted for the new tax.
in She returned home in order to vote in the elections.
in favour of The committee voted in favour of the plan.
into the government that has just been voted into power
off She was voted off the committee.
on/upon Parliament is to vote on tobacco advertising tomorrow.
onto, out of He was voted out of office.
(by) … to … They voted 15 to 2 to accept the offer.
with Her party voted with the government.
PHRASES the right to vote Everyone over 18 has the right to vote.
a round of voting She was elected on the second round of voting.
vote Conservative, Labour, Republican, etc., vote no/yes They voted yes to the agreement.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

vote

vote yes/no
How many people voted Yes in the referendum?
vote Conservative/Democrat etc (=vote for someone who is Conservative etc)
Cubans in the city of Miami have traditionally voted Republican.
unanimously (=with everyone voting a particular way)
The committee voted unanimously in favour of the proposition.
overwhelmingly (=by a very large majority)
On Dec. 7 delegates voted overwhelmingly to strike.
narrowly (=by a small majority)
The Senate voted narrowly to continue funding the controversial project.
tactically (=not for the party you support, but to get an acceptable result)
People appear to have voted tactically in order to prevent the Conservative candidate from gaining a seat.
be eligible/entitled to vote
All those aged 18 or over are eligible to vote.
register to vote (=put your name on a list of voters)
We must encourage people to register to vote.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

vote
verb
1.
BAD: Next year a new president will be voted.
GOOD: Next year a new president will be elected.
BAD: On the day of the vote, they couldn't be bothered to go and vote.
GOOD: On the day of the election, they couldn't be bothered to go and vote.

Usage Note:
vote = show which person or which course of action you prefer, especially by marking a piece of paper or raising your hand: 'Who will you be voting for at the next election?' 'Fifty-three per cent of Danes voted in favour of the Maastricht treaty.'
elect = choose a leader or representative by voting: 'Roman Catholic cardinals are meeting at the Vatican to elect a new Pope.' 'Williams was elected with a clear majority.'
election = an occasion when people vote: 'Who's going to win the next election?'

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2.
BAD: People are not allowed to vote more than one candidate.
GOOD: People are not allowed to vote for more than one candidate.

Usage Note:
vote for sb : 'I'm not prepared to vote for someone who keeps changing his mind.'

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3.
BAD: Every night they voted what they would do the next day.
GOOD: Every night they voted on what they would do the next day.

Usage Note:
vote on a particular question or issue: 'The Council voted on a motion to close the hospital.'

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

election an occasion when people choose a government or leader by voting:
the American presidential election
South Africa held its first multi-racial elections in 1994.
ballot /ˈbælət/ an occasion when the members of an organization vote by marking what they want on a piece of paper, especially to make sure that it is secret:
The result of the ballot showed that nurses were not in favour of a strike.
referendum /ˌrefəˈrendəm/ an occasion when everyone in a country votes on an important political subject:
In the Danish referendum, the people voted ‘no’ to joining the European single currency.
the polls the process of voting in a political election – used especially in news reports:
4,500,000 voters went to the polls in eight provinces to elect six governors.
show of hands an act of voting informally for something by the people in a group raising their hands:
May I have a show of hands from all those in favour of the proposal?
vote [intransitive and transitive] to show which person or party you want, or whether you support a plan, by marking a piece of paper, raising your hand etc:
I’ve voted Democrat all my life.
You can vote for your favourite singer.
A majority of the people voted for independence.
In tomorrow’s election, many young people will be voting for the first time.
elect [transitive] to choose a leader, representative, or government by voting, so that they become the new leader, representative etc:
He was elected mayor of London.
the newly-elected government
I think we should start by electing a new chairman.
go to the polls if a country or voters go to the polls, they vote in an election - used especially in news reports:
The US goes to the polls in November.
The economic crisis could well be a decisive factor when voters go to the polls this autumn.
take a vote if a group of people at a meeting take a vote, they vote about something:
We should take a vote on whether or not to accept their offer.
They took a vote and picked Bernard.
cast your vote formal to mark a piece of paper, call a telephone number etc in order to vote:
The first votes have been cast in the country’s general election.
Click here to cast your vote.
veto [transitive] to vote against something that other people have agreed on, so that it cannot happen:
The president has the right to veto any piece of legislation.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

vote [intransitive and transitive] to show which person or party you want, or whether you support a plan, by marking a piece of paper, raising your hand etc:
I’ve voted Democrat all my life.
You can vote for your favourite singer.
A majority of the people voted for independence.
In tomorrow’s election, many young people will be voting for the first time.
elect [transitive] to choose a leader, representative, or government by voting, so that they become the new leader, representative etc:
He was elected mayor of London.
the newly-elected government
I think we should start by electing a new chairman.
go to the polls if a country or voters go to the polls, they vote in an election - used especially in news reports:
The US goes to the polls in November.
The economic crisis could well be a decisive factor when voters go to the polls this autumn.
take a vote if a group of people at a meeting take a vote, they vote about something:
We should take a vote on whether or not to accept their offer.
They took a vote and picked Bernard.
cast your vote formal to mark a piece of paper, call a telephone number etc in order to vote:
The first votes have been cast in the country’s general election.
Click here to cast your vote.
ballot [transitive] to ask the members of an organization to vote on something in order to decide what to do:
The union will ballot its members on whether to go ahead with the strike action.
veto [transitive] to vote against something that other people have agreed on, so that it cannot happen:
The president has the right to veto any piece of legislation.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲