blackball
UK[ˈblakbɔːl]US[ˈblækˌbɔl]
v
To vote against admitting someone to a club or group.
v
To reject or ostracize someone socially.
Morpheme Breakdown
black
ball
black
dark color
ball
spherical object
Etymology
The term 'blackball' originates from a historical voting practice used in private clubs. A white ball indicated a vote in favor of a candidate's admission, while a black ball signified a vote against. The literal combination of the dark-colored object ('black ball') thus became a verb describing the act of exclusion through a negative vote. This concrete procedural meaning broadened into the more general sense of social rejection or ostracism, where the 'ball' is no longer a physical object but a metaphorical token of disapproval.
Analysis
Structure: black (dark color) + ball (spherical object)
'Black' originates from Old English 'blæc', meaning "dark, ink." 'Ball' originates from Old Norse 'bǫllr', meaning "a round object, sphere."
Examples
The committee decided to blackball his membership application due to the controversy.
After the scandal, he was effectively blackballed from the industry.
In the old days, a single member could blackball a candidate, barring them from the club.