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⇱ blackball - WordReference.com Dictionary of English


blackball

UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈblækˌbɔːl/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈblækˌbɔl/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(blakbôl′)


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
black•ball /ˈblækˌbɔl/USA pronunciation   v. [+ object]
  1. Governmentto vote against (an applicant, etc.):blackballed him when he applied to the country club.
black•ball•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
black•ball  (blakbôl′),USA pronunciation v.t. 
  1. Governmentto vote against (a candidate, applicant, etc.).
  2. to exclude socially;
    ostracize:The whole town blackballed them.
  3. Governmentto reject (a candidate) by placing a blackball in the ballot box.

n. 
  1. Governmenta negative vote, esp. in deciding on an applicant or candidate.
  2. Governmenta black ball placed in a ballot box signifying a negative vote.
  • black + ball1 1760–70
blackball′er, n. 
    2. . boycott, ban, debar, snub, cut.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
blackball /ˈblækˌbɔːl/ n
  1. a negative vote or veto
  2. a black wooden ball used to indicate disapproval or to veto in a vote
vb (transitive)
  1. to vote against in a ballot
  2. to exclude (someone) from a group, profession, etc; ostracize
Etymology: 18th Century: see sense 2
'blackball' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):

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