straw vote

SEE SYNONYMS FOR straw vote ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

an unofficial vote taken to obtain an indication of the general trend of opinion on a particular issue.
Also called straw poll.

Origin of straw vote

An Americanism dating back to 1885–90

Words nearby straw vote

straw man, straw mite, straw mushroom, straw poll, straw that breaks the camel's back, straw vote, straw wine, straw yellow, straw-boss, strawberry, strawberry bass

British Dictionary definitions for straw poll

straw poll

mainly US, Canadian and NZ straw vote

noun

an unofficial poll or vote taken to determine the opinion of a group or the public on some issue

Cultural definitions for straw poll

straw poll

Originally, a small, informal opinion survey. Today, a straw poll is generally a large-scale, scientifically determined public opinion survey based on a random sample of the population. Straw polls are commonly used to test public opinion of candidates running for office.

Idioms and Phrases with straw poll

straw vote

Also, straw poll. An unofficial vote or poll indicating how people feel about a candidate or issue. For example, Let's take a straw poll on the bill and see how it fares. This idiom alludes to a straw used to show in what direction the wind blows, in this case the wind of public opinion. O. Henry joked about it in A Ruler of Men (1907): “A straw vote only shows which way the hot air blows.” [c. 1885]