{
    "term": "ballot",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "ox5000": true,
    "cefr": "c1",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "the system of voting in writing and usually in secret; an occasion on which a vote is held",
            "sensetop": "ballot for somethingballot on/over something",
            "labels": "(especially North American English)(especially British English)(North American English)(British English)(especially British English)(North American English)(British English)(especially North American English)",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The chairperson is chosen by **secret ballot**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The union cannot call a strike unless it **holds a ballot** of members."
                },
                {
                    "text": "a ballot for the Conservative leadership",
                    "contextForm": "ballot for something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a ballot over strike action",
                    "contextForm": "ballot on/over something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a ballot on the new contracts"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The club members decided in a ballot to suspend the captain."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The jury cast their vote by secret ballot."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They voted against him at the second ballot."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Politics"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["secret", "open", "postal"],
                "verb + ballot": ["carry out", "hold", "organize"],
                "ballot + noun": ["box", "form", "paper"],
                "preposition": ["at a/​the ballot", "by ballot", "in a/​the ballot"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "the piece of paper on which somebody marks who they are voting for",
            "labels": "British English also",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "What percentage of eligible voters **cast their ballots**?"
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["secret", "open", "postal"],
                "verb + ballot": ["carry out", "hold", "organize"],
                "ballot + noun": ["box", "form", "paper"],
                "preposition": ["at a/​the ballot", "by ballot", "in a/​the ballot"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "the total number of votes in an election",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "She won 58.8% of the ballot."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈbælət/",
                "audio": "ba/ballot/ballot__gb_2.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈbælət/",
                "audio": "ba/ballot/ballot__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "mid 16th cent. (originally denoting a small coloured ball placed in a container to register a vote): from Italian ballotta, diminutive of balla."
}