vote

vote — noun

1. The action of marking a ballot paper or raising your hand to state who you suppo

1.nounA2
Definition

The action of marking a ballot paper or raising your hand to state who you support or what you want to happen when choosing leaders or settling group questions.

Example

Ada cast her vote at the local polling station before lunch.

cast a vote — the standard verb phrase

The committee took a vote on the new safety rules after a long discussion.

take a vote on [topic]

Common collocations
  • cast a vote
  • take a vote
  • win the vote
  • one vote
  • deciding vote
Synonyms
  • ballot

    refers to the physical paper or the whole voting process, not one person's choice

  • poll

    often refers to a survey of opinions or the total number of votes cast, not an individual's choice

Grammar Patterns

cast + a vote

take + a vote

have + one vote

Usage Note

Used with verbs like cast, take, have, count, or win. The preposition on introduces the topic being decided: 'a vote on the proposal.'

Common Mistakes

I gave my voice in the election.
I cast my vote in the election.
'vote' is the correct noun for a formal choice; 'voice' means the sound from your mouth.

2. A procedure in which the members of a committee or meeting make a decision by st

2.nounB1
Definition

A procedure in which the members of a committee or meeting make a decision by stating their preference and then totalling the responses.

Example

The board settled the disagreement by vote instead of further argument.

by vote — adverbial phrase for method

The chairperson put the proposed change to a vote among the staff.

put [something] to a vote

Common collocations
  • by vote
  • put to a vote
  • hold a vote
  • move to a vote
Synonyms
  • poll

    can mean the same procedure but often suggests a survey rather than a formal decision

  • referendum

    a specific type of vote where the general public decides on a single political question

Grammar Patterns

by + vote

put + something + to + a + vote

hold + a + vote

Usage Note

Common in the fixed phrase 'put something to a vote' — meaning to stop discussing and start the formal voting process. Also often appears as 'by vote' to describe how a decision was reached.

3. The combined number of ballots cast for a candidate, party, or option in an elec

3.nounB1
Definition

The combined number of ballots cast for a candidate, party, or option in an election, often expressed as a percentage or total count.

Example

The mayor won sixty-two percent of the vote in the city election.

percent of the vote — common reporting pattern

The vote in the northern region was strongly in favor of the new transport plan.

Common collocations
  • share of the vote
  • percent of the vote
  • the vote is split
  • win the vote
Synonyms
  • ballot count

    more specific to the counting process, less common in everyday speech

  • turnout

    refers to the number of people who voted, not which candidate they chose

Grammar Patterns

the + vote + for/in + [region/group]

share + of + the + vote

Usage Note

Used in the singular to refer to the collective result ('the vote was close') even though it represents many individual ballots. Can be modified by region or demographic group: 'the youth vote,' 'the rural vote.'

4. The legal right of a citizen to take part in an election by casting a ballot.

4.nounA2
Definition

The legal right of a citizen to take part in an election by casting a ballot.

Example

Women in Switzerland won the vote in 1971 after a long campaign.

win the vote — historical context

Citizens who have the vote should make sure they use it on election day.

have the vote — possess the right

Common collocations
  • have the vote
  • win the vote
  • get the vote
  • the vote
  • fight for the vote
Synonyms
  • franchise

    more formal term for the right to vote, common in legal and historical writing

  • suffrage

    formal term; used especially in historical context about voting rights movements

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

the + vote

have + the + vote

win + the + vote

Usage Note

Almost always used with the definite article: 'the vote.' Often appears in historical or political discussions about who is allowed to vote. The phrase 'get the vote' means to be granted this right.

Common Mistakes

I have a vote in the election.' (when meaning the right)
I have the vote in the election.
'the vote' refers to the right; 'a vote' refers to one ballot or one person's choice.

5. A specific instance of voting on a particular question or proposal, where people

5.nounB1
Definition

A specific instance of voting on a particular question or proposal, where people say yes or no to a single idea.

Example

The council took a vote on whether to raise local taxes this year.

a vote on whether to [action]

Let's have a vote on the restaurant choice — pizza or Thai food.

Common collocations
  • a vote on
  • take a vote on
  • call for a vote
  • vote on a topic
Synonyms
  • ballot

    can refer to a single issue vote but more often means the paper or the whole election process

  • referendum

    a vote by the public on a single political question, more formal and large-scale

Grammar Patterns

a + vote + on + [topic]

take + a + vote + on

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 focuses on the action of a person casting a ballot ('she cast her vote'), while sense 5 focuses on the event or item being decided ('a vote on the budget'). The phrase 'take a vote on' nearly always signals this sense.

vote — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Vote is the general, everyday word for expressing a choice when selecting people or deciding group questions at a meeting or during an election. To elect is more specific — it means to choose someone for a position through voting, focusing on the outcome rather than the act. You vote for a candidate, but the candidate is elected to office. Cast a ballot is a more formal phrase that emphasises the physical or procedural act of submitting a vote; it is common in news reports and official instructions. Poll as a verb has two meanings: to ask a group of people their opinion on a topic (survey), or to receive a certain number of votes in an election ('the candidate polled 2,000 votes'). For daily use, vote is the most natural choice: 'I voted in the local election.' Use elect when the result is the focus: 'The committee elected a new treasurer.' Use cast a ballot for formal or written contexts: 'Citizens cast their ballots at local polling stations.'

vote ↗elect ↗cast a ballotpoll ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • cast a vote
  • take a vote
  • put to a vote
  • win the vote
  • have the vote
  • go to the polls

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Vote comes from the Latin word 'votum,' which meant a vow, a wish, or a solemn promise. In ancient Rome, people would express a wish or promise to the gods. The meaning shifted over time to expressing a preference in a formal decision. The word passed through Old French 'vote' into Middle English, where it gradually took on its modern meaning of casting a ballot during an election.