Transcription
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
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- [blak-bawl]
- /ˈblækˌbɔl/
- /ˈblæk.bɔːl/
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [blak-bawl]
- /ˈblækˌbɔl/
Definitions of blackball word
- verb blackball If the members of a club blackball someone, they vote against that person being allowed to join their club. 3
- noun blackball a negative vote or veto 3
- noun blackball a black wooden ball used to indicate disapproval or to veto in a vote 3
- noun blackball a hard boiled sweet with black-and-white stripes 3
- verb blackball to vote against in a ballot 3
- verb blackball to exclude (someone) from a group, profession, etc; ostracize 3
Information block about the term
Origin of blackball
First appearance:
before 1760 One of the 46% newest English words
First recorded in 1760-70; black + ball1
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Blackball
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
blackball popularity
A pretty common term. Usually people know it’s meaning, but prefer to use a more spread out synonym. About 61% of English native speakers know the meaning and use word.
This word is included in each student's vocabulary. Most likely there is at least one movie with this word in the title.
blackball usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for blackball
verb blackball
- blacklist — If someone is on a blacklist, they are seen by a government or other organization as being one of a number of people who cannot be trusted or who have done something wrong.
- ostracize — to exclude, by general consent, from society, friendship, conversation, privileges, etc.: His friends ostracized him after his father's arrest.
- oust — to expel or remove from a place or position occupied: The bouncer ousted the drunk; to oust the prime minister in the next election.
- veto — the power or right vested in one branch of a government to cancel or postpone the decisions, enactments, etc., of another branch, especially the right of a president, governor, or other chief executive to reject bills passed by the legislature.
- debar — If you are debarred from doing something, you are prevented from doing it by a law or regulation.
Antonyms for blackball
verb blackball
- welcome — a kindly greeting or reception, as to one whose arrival gives pleasure: to give someone a warm welcome.
- permit — to allow to do something: Permit me to explain.
- ratify — to confirm by expressing consent, approval, or formal sanction: to ratify a constitutional amendment.
- sanction — authoritative permission or approval, as for an action.
- include — to contain, as a whole does parts or any part or element: The package includes the computer, program, disks, and a manual.
Top questions with blackball
- what does blackball mean?
- how to blackball someone?
See also
Matching words
- Words starting with b
- Words starting with bl
- Words starting with bla
- Words starting with blac
- Words starting with black
- Words starting with blackb
- Words starting with blackba
- Words starting with blackbal
- Words starting with blackball