Ostracize vs. Blackball: What's the Difference?
Ostracize and Blackball Definitions
Ostracize
To exclude from a group or society
"Lepers wrapped in bandages—ostracized from their villages and unable to obtain work—rushed up to passing cars, waving crude handmade flags to warn of potholes, in the hope that motorists would fling loose change at them before they got too close" (John Ghazvinian). "Lionesses with worn and missing teeth are not ostracized from their pride, but live out their old age ... supported by the hunting of younger females" (Cindy Engel).
Blackball
A negative vote, especially one that blocks the admission of an applicant to an organization.
Ostracize
To banish by ostracism, as in ancient Greece.
Blackball
A small black ball used as a negative ballot.
Ostracize
To ban a person from a city for five or ten years through the procedure of ostracism.
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Blackball
To vote against, especially to veto the admission of.
Ostracize
(by extension) To exclude a person from a community or from society by not communicating with them or by refusing to acknowledge their presence; to refuse to associate with or talk to; to shun.
Thesaurus:pay attention
Blackball
To shut out from social or commercial participation; ostracize or boycott.
Ostracize
To exile by ostracism; to banish by a popular vote, as at Athens.
Blackball
(countable) A rejection; a vote against admitting someone.
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Ostracize
To banish from society, by a general consent; to exclude from social, political, or private favor; to exclude from conversation or friendship; to shun; as, he was ostracized by his former friends. A person may be ostracized by a formal vote or by a widespread but informal agreement.
Blackball
(countable) A black ball used to indicate such a negative vote.
Regardless how many other people may have voted to approve a candidate for membership, a single blackball will reject the candidate.
Ostracize
Expel from a community or group
Blackball
(countable) A kind of large black sweet; a niggerball.
Ostracize
Avoid speaking to or dealing with;
Ever since I spoke up, my colleagues ostracize me
Blackball
A substance for blacking shoes, boots, etc. or for taking impressions of engraved work.
Blackball
(uncountable) A game, a standardized version of the English version of eight-ball.
Reds and yellows
Blackball
(transitive) To vote against, especially in an exclusive organization.
If you're not from a moneyed, well-connected family, you can count on getting blackballed from the fraternity.
Blackball
(transitive) To ostracize.
Blackball
A composition for blacking shoes, boots, etc.; also, one for taking impressions of engraved work.
Blackball
A ball of black color, esp. one used as a negative in voting; - in this sense usually two words.
Blackball
To vote against, by putting a black ball into a ballot box; to reject or exclude, as by voting against with black balls; to ostracize.
He was blackballed at two clubs in succession.
Blackball
To blacken (leather, shoes, etc.) with blacking.
Blackball
The act of excluding someone by a negative vote or veto
Blackball
Expel from a community or group
Blackball
Vote against; refuse to endorse; refuse to assent;
The President vetoed the bill
