VOTE

[verb] - to express your choice or opinion, esp. by officially marking a paper or by raising your hand or speaking in a meetingIn a democracy, all adult citizens have the right to vote - the people choose the government. [I]She was too young to vote in the national election. [I]The committee voted on the proposal, and accepted it unanimously. [I]Over 55% voted Liberal. [I]A woman with a megaphone was shouting "Vote for Kennedy! Vote Kennedy!" [I]A majority of staff voted to accept the offer of an 8% pay rise. [+ to infinitive]I vote (that) we (= It is my opinion that we should) go to the cinema first and eat afterwards. [+ (that) clause]The evening was voted a tremendous success (= This was most people's opinion). [T + object + noun]She was voted Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival. [T + object + noun]It was the younger members who voted Smith onto the committee (= Smith joined because he was the choice of the younger members). [T]The Republican Party was voted into office (= was chosen in an election to become the government). [T]To vote something for (UK also to/US also towards) someone or something means to decide to give it to them.The Board of Directors voted $1 million funding for the project./The Board of Directors voted the project $1 million funding. [+ two objects]They voted a generous pension to his widow./They voted his widow a generous pension.(specialized) To vote something down is to decide as a group not to accept it or do it.The proposal to build a new road through the forest was voted down by the local council.The Bill was voted down.(specialized) To vote something through is to decide as a group to accept or do something.The committee voted through a proposal to cut the defence budget.If you vote with your feet, you leave an organization or stop supporting, using or buying something, and change to a new organization, service, or product.When the price of skiing in the mountain resorts doubled, tourists voted with their feet and just stopped going.(esp. US) A voting machine is a machine used to automatically record and count votes in an election.