“vote” – English explanatory dictionary

noun 1. the act of marking a paper, holding up your hand, etc., to show your opinion or who you want to be elected ○ How many votes did you get? ○ There were only ten votes against the plan. □ to take a vote on a proposal, to put a proposal to the vote to ask people present at a meeting to say if they agree or do not agree with a proposal □ to cast a vote to vote ○ The number of votes cast in the election was 125,458. 2. the act of voting □ a vote of no confidence a vote to show disapproval of a person or an organisation such as the government ○ They passed a vote of no confidence in the chairman. 3. the right to vote in elections ○ Only in 1928 were women given the vote. 4. the number of votes made by a group of voters ○ No one knows where the youth vote will go. ■ verb to mark a paper, to hold up your hand, etc., to show your opinion or who you want to be elected ○ Fifty per cent of the people voted in the election. ○ We all voted to go on strike. □ to vote for or against a proposal to say that you agree or do not agree with a proposal ○ Twenty people actually voted for the proposal to demolish the old church.

n. [L. votum a vow, wish, will, fr. vovere, votum, to vow: cf. F. vote. See Vow.]
1. An ardent wish or desire; a vow; a prayer. [Obs.] Massinger.
2. A wish, choice, or opinion, of a person or a body of persons, expressed in some received and authorized way; the expression of a wish, desire, will, preference, or choice, in regard to any measure proposed, in which the person voting has an interest in common with others, either in electing a person to office, or in passing laws, rules, regulations, etc.; suffrage.
3. That by means of which will or preference is expressed in elections, or in deciding propositions; voice; a ballot; a ticket; as a written vote. “The freeman casting with unpurchased hand
The vote that shakes the turrets of the land.” Holmes.
4. Expression of judgment or will by a majority; legal decision by some expression of the minds of a number; as the vote was unanimous; a vote of confidence.
5. Votes, collectively; as the Tory vote; the labor vote. Casting vote, Cumulative vote, etc. See under Casting, Cumulative, etc.

v. i. [imp. & p. p. Voted; p. pr. & vb. n. Voting.] [Cf. F. voter.] To express or signify the mind, will, or preference, either viva voce, or by ballot, or by other authorized means, as in electing persons to office, in passing laws, regulations, etc., or in deciding on any proposition in which one has an interest with others. “The vote for a duelist is to assist in the prostration of justice, and, indirectly, to encourage the crime.” L. Beecher. “To vote on large principles, to vote honestly, requires a great amount of information.” F. W. Robertson.

v. t. 1. To choose by suffrage; to elec; as to vote a candidate into office.
2. To enact, establish, grant, determine, etc., by a formal vote; as the legislature voted the resolution. “Parliament voted them one hundred thousand pounds.” Swift.
3. To declare by general opinion or common consent, as if by a vote; as he was voted a bore. [Colloq.]
4. To condemn; to devote; to doom. [Obs.] Glanvill.