veto
/ˈviːtəʊ
/noun (plural vetoes)
1A constitutional right to reject a decision or proposal made by a lawmaking body: neither state was given a veto over amendments to the Act [mass noun]: the royal power of veto...
- From this perspective, the U.S. Senate has a veto over treaties negotiated by the executive, and constitutional courts have a veto over legislation.
- Clearly the present set-up gives the five major powers on the Security Council a veto on any decisions taken by UN member states.
- It had its own assembly and militia, the power of veto over federal decisions and control of education and other public services.
1.1A rejection by right of veto.The veto is another blow to his leadership following the dismissal of the Government Administration and Home Affairs Minister early this month....
- The legislation did not define the phrase ‘just cause’ when considering dismissal or veto of council members, giving the minister carte blanche.
- The problem with that is that a veto or a threatened veto by France would have had the result of the leader still being in power.
Synonyms
rejection, vetoing, dismissal, denial, declination, turndown;
prohibition, prohibiting, proscription, preclusion, restriction, suppression, stoppage;
embargo, ban, boycott, bar, interdict
informal thumbs down, red light, knock-back
1.2Any ban or prohibition: his veto on our drinking after the meal was annoying...
- Few people want children - or, for that matter, anyone else - to have veto power over the decisions that parents make.
- Now we don't have to really divide or to make vetoes on people.
- The Cardinal had tried to impose an immediate veto on all contacts with the media.
verb (vetoes, vetoing, vetoed) [with object]
1Exercise a veto against (a decision or proposal): the president vetoed the bill...
- Under the terms of the Luxembourg Compromise, governments would retain their right to veto proposals where they deemed a vital national interest to be at stake.
- Unfortunately, the plan was vetoed by the British government.
- In fact, if a proposal is vetoed by the UN, it does not go ahead.
Synonyms
reject, turn down, throw out, dismiss, say ‘no’ to, rule against, overrule, rule out, quash;
prohibit, forbid, interdict, proscribe, disallow, outlaw, embargo, place an embargo on, ban, bar, block, preclude, put a stop to, put an end to, stop, nullify, declare null and void
informal kill, squash, put the kibosh on, give the thumbs down to, give the red light to
1.1Refuse to accept or allow: I vetoed the idea of a holiday...
- Tell them tonight, and I'll be here tomorrow morning before school to tell you if the idea is accepted or vetoed.
- This allows software to veto certain state transitions when it is not safe to do so.
- He faced resistance in his own company-his management team tended to rule by consensus and veto his more outlandish ideas.
Derivatives
vetoer
- There is some grey area on what ‘technical’ can mean, but the vetoer receives the benefit of the doubt.
- As one fast food consultant explained of the new fruit option, ‘It's basically a way to veto the vetoer.’
Origin
Early 17th century: from Latin, literally 'I forbid', used by Roman tribunes of the people when opposing measures of the Senate.
The common people in ancient Rome elected tribunes of the people to protect their interests. When these officials opposed measures of the Senate or actions of magistrates they said veto, Latin for ‘I forbid’.