poll ◆◆◇ /poʊ l/ (polls , polling , polled )
1 N‑COUNT A poll is a survey in which people are asked their opinions about something, usually in order to find out how popular something is or what people intend to do in the future. □ At least 60 per cent of the country wants the strikers to win, polls show. □ [+ on ] We are doing a weekly poll on the president, and clearly his popularity has declined.
2 → see also opinion poll , straw poll
3 VERB [usu passive] If you are polled on something, you are asked what you think about it as part of a survey. □ [be V -ed] More than 18,000 people were polled. □ [be V -ed + on ] Audiences were going to be polled on which of three pieces of music they liked best. □ [V -ed] More than 70 per cent of those polled said that they approved of his record as president.
4 N‑PLURAL The polls means an election for a country's government, or the place where people go to vote in an election. □ In 1945, Winston Churchill was defeated at the polls. □ Voters are due to go to the polls on Sunday to elect a new president.
5 VERB If a political party or a candidate polls a particular number or percentage of votes, they get that number or percentage of votes in an election. □ [V n] It was a disappointing result for the Greens who polled three percent.
6 → see also polling , deed poll SYNONYMS poll NOUN 1
survey: According to the survey, overall world trade has also slackened. VERB 3
ballot: The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.
survey: Only 18 percent of those surveyed opposed the idea. NOUN 4
election: …the first fully free elections for more than fifty years.
referendum: Estonia said it too planned to hold a referendum on independence.
vote: Why do you think we should have a vote on that?
ballot: The result of the ballot will not be known for two weeks.
pol|len /pɒ lən/ (pollens ) N‑VAR Pollen is a fine powder produced by flowers. It fertilizes other flowers of the same species so that they produce seeds.
po l|len count (pollen counts ) N‑COUNT The pollen count is a measure of how much pollen is in the air at a particular place and time. Information about the pollen count is given to help people who are made ill by pollen. □ Avoid trips to the country while the pollen count is high.
pol|li|nate /pɒ l I ne I t/ (pollinates , pollinating , pollinated ) VERB To pollinate a plant or tree means to fertilize it with pollen. This is often done by insects. □ [V n] Many of the indigenous insects are needed to pollinate the local plants. ● pol|li|na|tion /pɒ l I ne I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ Without sufficient pollination, the growth of the corn is stunted.
pol|li|na|tor /pɒ l I ne I tə r / (pollinators ) N‑COUNT A pollinator is something which pollinates plants, especially a type of insect. [TECHNICAL ]
poll|ing /poʊ l I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT Polling is the act of voting in an election. □ There has been a busy start to polling in today's local elections.
po ll|ing booth (polling booths )
1 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Polling booths are the places where people go to vote in an election. □ In Darlington, queues formed at some polling booths.
2 N‑COUNT A polling booth is one of the partly enclosed areas in a polling station, where people can vote in private. □ When you are there, in the polling booth, nobody can see where you put your cross.
po ll|ing day N‑UNCOUNT Polling day is the day on which people vote in an election. [mainly BRIT ] in AM, usually use election day
po ll|ing place (polling places ) N‑COUNT A polling place is the same as a polling station . [AM ]
po ll|ing sta|tion (polling stations ) N‑COUNT A polling station is a place where people go to vote at an election. It is often a school or other public building. [BRIT ] □ Queues formed even before polling stations opened. in AM, use polling place
poll|ster /poʊ lstə r / (pollsters ) N‑COUNT A pollster is a person or organization who asks large numbers of people questions to find out their opinions on particular subjects.
pol|lu|tant /pəluː tənt/ (pollutants ) N‑VAR Pollutants are substances that pollute the environment, especially gases from vehicles and poisonous chemicals produced as waste by industrial processes. □ A steady stream of California traffic clogs the air with pollutants.
pol|lute /pəluː t/ (pollutes , polluting , polluted ) VERB To pollute water, air, or land means to make it dirty and dangerous to live in or to use, especially with poisonous chemicals or sewage. □ [V n] Heavy industry pollutes our rivers with noxious chemicals. ● pol|lut|ed ADJ □ The police have warned the city's inhabitants not to bathe in the polluted river.
pol|lut|er /pəluː tə r / (polluters ) N‑COUNT A polluter is someone or something that pollutes the environment.
pol|lu|tion ◆◇◇ /pəluː ʃ ə n/
1 N‑UNCOUNT Pollution is the process of polluting water, air, or land, especially with poisonous chemicals. □ [+ of ] The fine was for the company's pollution of the air near its plants. □ Recycling also helps control environmental pollution by reducing the need for waste dumps.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Pollution is poisonous or dirty substances that are polluting the water, air, or land somewhere. □ The level of pollution in the river was falling. SYNONYMS pollution NOUN 1