poll

¹poll

noun \ˈpōl\

Definition of POLL

1

: head

2

a : the top or back of the head

b : nape

3

: the broad or flat end of a striking tool (as a hammer)

4

a (1) : the casting or recording of the votes of a body of persons (2) : a counting of votes cast

b : the place where votes are cast or recorded —usually used in plural <at the polls>

c : the period of time during which votes may be cast at an election

d : the total number of votes recorded <a heavy poll>

5

a : a questioning or canvassing of persons selected at random or by quota to obtain information or opinions to be analyzed

b : a record of the information so obtained

Examples of POLL

1. The magazine conducted a poll to find out the favorite 100 movies of all time.
2. A recent poll shows a decrease in the number of teenagers who smoke.
3. The polls are open until 8:00 tonight.

Origin of POLL

Middle English pol, polle, from Middle Low German

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to POLL

Synonyms

bean, block [slang], dome, mazard (or mazzard) [chiefly dialect], nob, noddle, noggin, noodle, nut [slang], pate, head

Related Words

cranium, crown, scalp, skull; occiput

Other Anatomy Terms

bilateral symmetry, carotid, cartilage, dorsal, entrails, prehensile, renal, solar plexus, supine, thoracic, ventral

Rhymes with POLL

bole, boll, bowl, coal, cole, Cole, dhole, dole, droll, foal, goal, hole, knoll, kohl, Kohl, mole, ole, pole, prole, role, roll, scroll, Seoul, shoal, skoal, sol, sole, soul, stole, stroll, thole, tole, toll, troll, vole, whole

²poll

verb

Definition of POLL

transitive verb

1

a : to cut off or cut short the hair or wool of : crop, shear

b : to cut off or cut short (as wool)

2

a : to cut off or back the top of (as a tree); specifically : pollard

b : to cut off or cut short the horns of (cattle)

3

a : to receive and record the votes of

b : to request each member of to declare a vote individually <poll the assembly>

4

: to receive (as votes) in an election

5

: to question or canvass in a poll

6

: to test (as several computer terminals sharing a single line) in sequence for messages to be transmitted

intransitive verb

: to cast one's vote at a poll

— poll·ee \pō-ˈlē\ noun

— poll·er \ˈpō-lər\ noun

Examples of POLL

1. About half of the people polled had tried smoking.
2. The conservative candidate polled more than 10,000 votes in the last election.

First Known Use of POLL

14th century

Related to POLL

Synonyms

interview, canvass, solicit, survey

Related Words

circularize; interrogate, question; feel (out), sound (out)

Near Antonyms

report