veto Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a vote that blocks a decision
  2. noun the power or right to prohibit or reject a proposed or intended act (especially the power of a chief executive to reject a bill passed by the legislature)
  3. verb vote against; refuse to endorse; refuse to assent
    blackball; negative.
    • The President vetoed the bill
  4. verb command against
    prohibit; forbid; proscribe; disallow; nix; interdict.
    • I forbid you to call me late at night
    • Mother vetoed the trip to the chocolate store
    • Dad nixed our plans

WordNet

Ve"to noun
Etymology
L. veto I forbid.
Wordforms
plural Vetoes
Definitions
  1. An authoritative prohibition or negative; a forbidding; an interdiction.
    This contemptuous veto of her husband's on any intimacy with her family. G. Eliot.
  2. Specifically: -- (a) A power or right possessed by one department of government to forbid or prohibit the carrying out of projects attempted by another department; especially, in a constitutional government, a power vested in the chief executive to prevent the enactment of measures passed by the legislature. Such a power may be absolute, as in the case of the Tribunes of the People in ancient Rome, or limited, as in the case of the President of the United States. Called also the veto power. (b) The exercise of such authority; an act of prohibition or prevention; as, a veto is probable if the bill passes. (c) A document or message communicating the reasons of the executive for not officially approving a proposed law; -- called also veto message. U.S. ✍ Veto is not a term employed in the Federal Constitution, but seems to be of popular use only. Abbott.
Ve"to transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Vetoed ; present participle & verbal noun Vetoing
Definitions
  1. To prohibit; to negative; also, to refuse assent to, as a legislative bill, and thus prevent its enactment; as, to veto an appropriation bill.

Webster 1913