English Explanatory Dictionary

blackball

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A rejection; a vote against admitting someone.
  2. A black ball used to indicate such a negative vote.
  3. A kind of large black sweet, a black-colored gobstopper.
  4. A substance for blacking shoes, boots, etc. or for taking impressions of engraved work.
  5. A game, a standardized version of the English version of eight-ball.
verb
  1. To vote against, especially in an exclusive organization.
  2. To ostracize.
name
  1. A small town in Grey district, West Coast, New Zealand, with a history of gold and coal mining.

Pronunciation

blăk'bôl' /ˈblækbɔːl/ /ˈblækbɑl/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Qwertygiy-blackball.wav

Word forms

blackball blackballs blackballing blackballed

Etymology

From black + ball.

Synonyms

niggerball reds and yellows blacklist send to Coventry brush off discount disregard dissemble despise ignore misheed misregard neglect pass pass by pay no heed put aside set at nought shrug off slough take no notice of tune out unheed unmind black blackball boycott cancel

Derived words

blackballer
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