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Glite Dictionary
to vote nay

to vote nay

2 7.0
To say 'nay' when voting to show you are against a proposal
  • phrasal verb
  • Formal
translation icon : votar en contra
  • They voted nay because in their district, supporting the bill would be political suicide.

Examples

  • Pushed through on Dec. 23, the night before Christmas Eve, and largely along party lines (only two House Democrats voted nay and none did so in the Senate), Wilson immediately signed it into law.

    Blog text (5)

  • These are just statements of the people who voted nay, who said, and they're saying, yes, I voted against this.

  • But if the majority votes nay, Amaro must walk the plank and Bart becomes captain.

  • If Obama had voted "nay" on the FISA bill, there'd be a lot of inertia for people to trust their government to not abuse it too much compared to their fear of what a terrorist might do if they don't have universal surveillance.

    Blog text (9)

  • The members of the committee decided to vote nay on the proposed changes to the policy.

  • During the meeting, when asked about the new regulations, several representatives chose to vote nay.

  • At the end of the discussion, the council members raised their voices to vote nay against the motion.

Synonyms

to reject
vsto vote nay
839 1.9

Refuse to accept someone or something

is a formal spoken refusal during a meeting rather than a general denial
to veto
vsto vote nay
156 4.0

To refuse to accept a decision, proposal, or law

is a collective spoken opposition in a meeting rather than a single authority refusal
to dissent
vsto vote nay
  • Formal
39 6.8

To disagree publicly with an official idea or decision

is a formal spoken opposition used in decision meetings not merely a disagreeing view
to vote down
vsto vote nay
18 4.2

Reject a proposal or plan because more people say no

is a formal spoken opposition in a meeting rather than a general defeat
to turn thumbs down
vsto vote nay
1 7.0

To show that you do not agree with or support something

is formal spoken opposition in meetings rather than an informal gesture

Antonyms

aye
  • Formal
12 6.3

A spoken vote that shows agreement in a meeting

How Supported

to vote in
43 3.2
to vote
∞ 1.0
to vote nay
  • Formal
2 7.0
to vote down
18 4.2
to vote out
57 3.2

Surface Forms

vote nay infinitive
voted nay past
voted nay past participle
voting nay present participle
votes nay third person singular

Morphology

vote + nay

The meaning 'to vote against' is directly and compositionally derived from 'vote' (to indicate a choice) + 'nay' (a formal 'no' vote); a B1 learner who knows both words can infer the overall meaning. This is a standard procedural construction with clear cross-linguistic equivalents (e.g., 'vote no'), so it is immediately comprehensible rather than idiomatic.

Etymology

The phrase vote nay comes from old meetings where people called out nay or 'aye' to show their choice. Saying nay meant 'no', so to vote nay means 'to vote against' a proposal.