Hypertext Webster Gateway: "blackball"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Blackball \Black"ball`\, n.
1. A composition for blacking shoes, boots, etc.; also, one
for taking impressions of engraved work.
2. A ball of black color, esp. one used as a negative in
voting; -- in this sense usually two words.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Blackball \Black"ball`\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Blackballed}; p.
pr. & vb. n. {Blackballing}.]
1. To vote against, by putting a black ball into a ballot
box; to reject or exclude, as by voting against with black
balls; to ostracize.
He was blackballed at two clubs in succession.
--Thackeray.
2. To blacken (leather, shoes, etc.) with blacking.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
blackball
n : the act of excluding someone by a negative vote or veto
[syn: {barring}]
v 1: expel from a community or group [syn: {banish}, {ban}, {ostracize},
{ostracise}, {shun}, {cast out}]
2: vote against; refuse to endorse; refuse to assent [syn: {veto},
{negative}]
Additional Hypertext Webster Gateway Lookup
Gateway by dict@stokkie.net
stock only wrote the gateway and does not have any control over the contents;
see the Webster Gateway FAQ,
and also the Back-end/database links and credits.