elect
/i'lekt/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb:
- To choose someone for a position by voting: The primary meaning of "elect" is to select a person for a public office or a role through a formal vote.
- To choose or decide to do something: A more formal or deliberate sense, meaning to make a choice or decision, often between options.
Adjective:
- Chosen for a position but not yet holding it: Used after a noun to describe someone who has been voted into an office but has not yet started the job.
- Chosen as the best; exclusive: A formal or literary use to describe a select, elite group of people or things.
Noun (plural: the elect):
- A privileged or exclusive group: Refers to a small group of people chosen for special favor, status, or power.
- (Theology) Those chosen by God for salvation: In religious contexts, it refers to people believed to be chosen by God.
Usage Examples
Verb:
- The people will elect a new mayor next month.
- After much thought, she elected to pursue a career in medicine.
Adjective:
- The president-elect will take the oath of office in January.
- The club was an elect group of scholars and artists.
Noun:
- The policy was decided by a small council of the elect.
- In Calvinist doctrine, salvation is reserved for the elect.
Advanced Usage
"To be elected to something": To be chosen by vote for a specific position or membership.
- She was elected to the board of directors.
"The newly elected": Refers collectively to people who have just won an election.
- The newly elected officials will be sworn in tomorrow.
Variants and Related Words
Election (n): The process of choosing by vote.
- The presidential election is held every four years.
Elective (adj): Chosen by vote; or, optional (as in a course of study).
- The student council is an elective position.
- I'm taking an elective course in astronomy.
Elector (n): A person who has the right to vote in an election.
- Every elector should exercise their right to vote.
Synonyms
- Verb: Choose, select, vote in, pick, opt (for).
- Adjective: Chosen, select, elite.
- Noun: Elite, chosen, favored.
Related Phrasal Verbs
(Note: "Elect" is not commonly used in phrasal verb constructions. Its meanings are typically expressed directly.)
Related Idioms
"The chosen few": Similar in meaning to "the elect," referring to a small, privileged group.
- Only the chosen few were invited to the private viewing.
"Vote into office": A phrase closely related to the primary verb meaning of "elect."
- The candidate was voted into office by a large majority.
Adjective
- elected but not yet installed in office
- the president elect
- selected as the best
- an elect circle of artists
- elite colleges
Noun
- an exclusive group of people
- one of the elect who have power inside the government
Verb
- choose
- I elected to have my funds deposited automatically
- select by a vote for an office or membership
- We elected him chairman of the board