poll Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun an inquiry into public opinion conducted by interviewing a random sample of people
    canvass; public opinion poll; opinion poll.
  2. noun the top of the head
    crown; pate.
  3. noun the part of the head between the ears
  4. noun a tame parrot
    poll parrot.
  5. noun the counting of votes (as in an election)
  6. verb get the opinions (of people) by asking specific questions
    canvass; canvas.
  7. verb vote in an election at a polling station
  8. verb get the votes of
  9. verb convert into a pollard
    pollard.
    • pollard trees

WordNet

Poll noun
Etymology
From Polly, The proper name.
Definitions
  1. A parrot; -- familiarly so called.
Poll noun
Etymology
Gr. the many, the rabble.
Definitions
  1. One who does not try for honors, but is content to take a degree merely; a passman. Cambridge Univ., Eng.
Poll noun
Etymology
Akin to LG. polle the head, the crest of a bird, the top of a tree, OD. pol, polle, Dan. puld the crown of a hat.
Definitions
  1. The head; the back part of the head. "All flaxen was his poll." Shak.
  2. A number or aggregate of heads; a list or register of heads or individuals.
    We are the greater poll, and in true fear They gave us our demands. Shak.
    The muster file, rotten and sound, upon my life, amounts not to fifteen thousand poll. Shak.
  3. Specifically, the register of the names of electors who may vote in an election.
  4. The casting or recording of the votes of registered electors; as, the close of the poll.
    All soldiers quartered in place are to remove . . . and not to return till one day after the poll is ended. Blackstone.
  5. pl. The place where the votes are cast or recorded; as, to go to the polls.
  6. The broad end of a hammer; the but of an ax.
  7. (Zoöl.) The European chub. See Pollard, 3 (a).
Poll transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Polled ; present participle & verbal noun Polling
Definitions
  1. To remove the poll or head of; hence, to remove the top or end of; to clip; to lop; to shear; as, to poll the head; to poll a tree.
    When he [Absalom] pollled his head. 2 Sam. xiv. 26.
    His death did so grieve them that they polled themselves; they clipped off their horse and mule's hairs. Sir T. North.
  2. To cut off; to remove by clipping, shearing, etc.; to mow or crop; -- sometimes with off; as, to poll the hair; to poll wool; to poll grass.
    Who, as he polled off his dart's head, so sure he had decreed That all the counsels of their war he would poll off like it. Chapman.
  3. To extort from; to plunder; to strip. Obs.
    Which polls and pills the poor in piteous wise. Spenser.
  4. To impose a tax upon. Obs.
  5. To pay as one's personal tax.
    The man that polled but twelve pence for his head. Dryden.
  6. To enter, as polls or persons, in a list or register; to enroll, esp. for purposes of taxation; to enumerate one by one.
    Polling the reformed churches whether they equalize in number those of his three kingdoms. Milton.
  7. To register or deposit, as a vote; to elicit or call forth, as votes or voters; as, he polled a hundred votes more than his opponent.
    And poll for points of faith his trusty vote. Tickell.
  8. (Law) To cut or shave smooth or even; to cut in a straight line without indentation; as, a polled deed. See Dee poll. Burrill. 9. to inquire (of a group of persons) to learn their opinion on some subject. Similar to poll a jury, but often used to determine the opinions of a group by polling a portion of that group. Thus, opinion poll.
Poll intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To vote at an election. Beaconsfield.

Webster 1913