blackball
UK/'blækbɒ:l/US
GREC2
Definitions
v.
To vote against and exclude someone, especially secretly
投票反对；排斥（尤指暗中）
n.
A vote against admitting someone
反对票
Root Breakdown
Native Englishblackthe darkest color, absence of light
+
ballroot
=blackball
black + ball, from an old club voting custom: members dropped a white ball to admit a candidate or a black ball to reject. One black ball could keep someone out — so to blackball is to vote against and exclude, often quietly and collectively.
Common Collocations
- 1.blackball a candidate投票否决候选人
- 2.be blackballed from被排斥在……之外
Example Sentences
- 1.
The committee blackballed him for breaking the club's rules.
- 2.
A single blackball was enough to deny membership.