local option

American  

noun

1. a right of choice exercised by a minor political division, as a county, especially as to allowing the sale of liquor.

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local option British  

noun

1. (esp in Scotland, New Zealand, and the US) the privilege of a municipality, county, etc, to determine by referendum whether a particular activity, esp the sale of liquor, shall be permitted there

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Etymology

Origin of local option

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

Fife Council said it was working to explore other options to keep the family together until a more local option becomes available.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2023

But the group is particularly set against the local option in HB 1628, which would affect sales under $5 million, Gorton said.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 10, 2023

It took courageous and farsighted judges to stand up and say that civil rights are not dispensed in our country by local option.

From Slate • Mar. 29, 2021

Williams’s relationship with Oklahoma goes back further, but especially given pandemic-related uncertainty, he could decide on a local option.

From Washington Post • Jul. 1, 2020

Hunter rightly held that Roux's plea for local option was inadmissible, and that the surrender must apply to the whole force.

From A Handbook of the Boer War With General Map of South Africa and 18 Sketch Maps and Plans by