poll

[ pohl ]

/ poʊl /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR poll ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a sampling or collection of opinions on a subject, taken from either a selected or a random group of persons, as for the purpose of analysis.

Usually polls. the place where votes are taken.

the registering of votes, as at an election.

the voting at an election.

the number of votes cast.

the numerical result of the voting.

an enumeration or a list of individuals, as for purposes of taxing or voting.

poll tax.

a person or individual in a number or list.

the head, especially the part of it on which the hair grows.

the back of the head.

the rear portion of the head of a horse; the nape.

the part of the head between the ears of certain animals, as the horse and cow.

the broad end or face of a hammer.

verb (used with object)

to take a sampling of the attitudes or opinions of.

to receive at the polls, as votes.

to enroll (someone) in a list or register, as for purposes of taxing or voting.

to take or register the votes of (persons).

to deposit or cast at the polls, as a vote.

to bring to the polls, as voters.

to cut short or cut off the hair, wool, etc., of (an animal); crop; clip; shear.

to cut short or cut off (hair, wool, etc.).

to cut off the top of (a tree); pollard.

to cut off or cut short the horns of (cattle).

verb (used without object)

to vote at the polls; give one's vote.

Nearby words

polje, polk, polk, james k., polka, polka dot, poll, poll end, poll evil, poll parrot, poll tax, poll watcher

Origin of poll

1250–1300; Middle English polle (hair of the) head < Middle Low German: hair of the head, top of a tree or other plant; akin to Danish puld, Swedish pull crown of the head

Related forms

poll·a·ble, adjectivepoll·er, nounre·poll·ing, noun

Definition for poll (2 of 3)

poll

[ pol ]

/ pɒl /

noun

(especially at Cambridge University, England)

the body of students who read for or obtain a degree without honors.

Also called poll degree. pass degree.

Origin of poll

1785–95; apparently < Greek polloí, in hoi polloí the many; see poly-

Definition for poll (3 of 3)

poll

[ pol ]

/ pɒl /

noun

polly.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for poll

But so-called jungle primaries are notoriously hard to predict or poll.
The Golden State Preps for the ‘Red Wedding’ of Senate Races|David Freedlander|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
And this is a poll, remember, not of Latinos, or of Cuban-Americans across the country.
Rubio’s Embargo Anger Plays to the Past|Michael Tomasky|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In an Oct. 31 poll from Washington, 12 percent of women claimed they were undecided about Initiative 502.
Women Are Leading the Way for Legalized Weed|Abby Haglage|December 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Poll a bunch of random youths today, and nine out of ten will say they know the name Robert Downey Jr.
The Renegade: Robert Downey Sr. on His Classic Films, Son’s Battle with Drugs, and Bill Cosby|Marlow Stern|November 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST

It was the kind of political illegality that Doar and his 500 poll watchers had been looking for.
Honoring The Late John Doar, A Nearly Forgotten Hero Of The Civil Rights Era|Gary May|November 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
On the eighth day the poll was against the popular member, and he called upon his friends to make a great effort on his behalf.
The Gaming Table: Its Votaries and Victims|Andrew Steinmetz
The poll at elections for coroners is now limited to two days.
Worcestershire in the Nineteenth Century|T. C. Turberville
Mr. Maior tells me, your duplicates of the Poll are coming up.
Andrew Marvell|Augustine Birrell
Hitherto he has always been to be counted on for marching his district to the poll like a regiment.
Beauchamp's Career, Complete|George Meredith
Poll, however, knew to the contrary; and after a while she convinced others that Brush was a thief.
Minnie's Pet Parrot|Madeline Leslie

British Dictionary definitions for poll

poll

/ (pəʊl) /

noun

the casting, recording, or counting of votes in an election; a voting

the result or quantity of such a votinga heavy poll

Also called: opinion poll

a canvassing of a representative sample of a large group of people on some question in order to determine the general opinion of the group
the results or record of such a canvassing

any counting or enumerationa poll of the number of men with long hair

short for poll tax

a list or enumeration of people, esp for taxation or voting purposes

the striking face of a hammer

the occipital or back part of the head of an animal

verb (mainly tr)

to receive (a vote or quantity of votes)he polled 10 000 votes

to receive, take, or record the votes ofhe polled the whole town

to canvass (a person, group, area, etc) as part of a survey of opinion

mainly US to take the vote, verdict, opinion, etc, individually of each member (of a jury, conference, etc)

(sometimes intr) to cast (a vote) in an election

computing (in data transmission when several terminals share communications channels) to check each channel rapidly to establish which are free, or to call for data from each terminal in turn

to clip or shear

to remove or cut short the horns of (cattle)

Word Origin for poll

C13 (in the sense: a human head) and C17 (in the modern sense: a counting of heads, votes): from Middle Low German polle hair of the head, head, top of a tree; compare Swedish pull crown of the head

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012