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Blackball

//ˈblækbɑl// name, noun, verb

Definitions

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A small town in Grey district, West Coast, New Zealand, with a history of gold and coal mining.
Noun
  1. 1
    A rejection; a vote against admitting someone. countable
  2. 2
    the act of excluding someone by a negative vote or veto wordnet
  3. 3
    A black ball used to indicate such a negative vote. countable

    "Regardless how many other people may have voted to approve a candidate for membership, a single blackball will reject the candidate."

  4. 4
    A kind of large black sweet, a black-colored gobstopper. countable
  5. 5
    A substance for blacking shoes, boots, etc. or for taking impressions of engraved work. countable, uncountable
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  1. 6
    A game, a standardized version of the English version of eight-ball. uncountable
Verb
  1. 1
    To vote against, especially in an exclusive organization. transitive

    "If you're not from a moneyed, well-connected family, you can count on getting blackballed from the fraternity."

  2. 2
    vote against; refuse to endorse; refuse to assent wordnet
  3. 3
    To ostracize. transitive

    "Henry knew. If he were blackballed by this distaff Mafia, he was doomed: Endless, but always justifiable, delays would occur in the work he wanted typed."

  4. 4
    expel from a community or group wordnet

Etymology

Etymology 1

From black + ball.

Etymology 2

From black + ball.

See also for "blackball"

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