veto pen
3
7.5
- noun
- /ˈviːtoʊ pɛn/
- US
:
pluma de veto
- The governor used his veto pen to reject the proposed bill on environmental regulations.
- wield the veto pen
- use his veto pen
- the president's veto pen
Examples
-
While progressives are nationalizing and scoring victories on a larger scale, tea party activists are localizing and looking to undermine our work by controlling enough small districts to hold a permanent veto pen over the head of our movement.
Blog text (6) -
I agree that Bush spent way too much money and did not know how to use the veto pen... but...
Blog text (32) -
Well, let them be forewarned: I have my veto pen drawn and ready for any tax increase that Congress might even think of sending up.
Academic text (2011) -
Now, admittedly, he could prove me wrong by using the veto pen on anything with earmarks on it.
Blog text (20) -
Were they intimidated by W's alacrity in using the veto pen?
Blog text (21) -
Perhaps GW could have used the veto pen and saved us from some of the BS, but the libbies controlled Congress.
Blog text (28) -
The governor, who had a series of vetoes overridden by the state legislature because she dared to cut spending, has also wielded her veto pen and seen the legislature back down recently.
Blog text (20) -
After much deliberation, the president decided to sign the legislation instead of using his veto pen.
-
The law was passed, but the mayor threatened to bring out his veto pen if the budget cuts were implemented.
Synonyms
508
1.0
A tool for writing with ink
57
1.1
A pen with a thick tip used to make bold marks
10
2.8
A brand of permanent marker used to write on many surfaces
1
2.1
A pen with a soft felt tip for writing or drawing
1
3.2
A thing that you use to write, like a pen or pencil
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly and compositionally derived from 'veto' (the authority to stop a decision) + 'pen' (a writing instrument): a B1 learner who knows both words can infer it is the pen used to exercise or symbolize a veto. This noun–noun compound follows common cross-linguistic naming patterns for tools/objects associated with actions, so the sense is immediately accessible without prior exposure.
Etymology
Veto pen comes from the image of a leader using a pen to write 'veto' or to cross out a bill. Leaders often keep or give away that special pen, so the object became a symbol for the act of 'rejecting' a law.