Definition

Noun: - The general consensus or prevailing opinion among the participants of a formal discussion or meeting: It refers to the collective understanding or agreed-upion point that emerges from a group's deliberation, often without requiring a formal vote. It captures the essence of the group's shared sentiment or conclusion.

Usage

This phrase is used in formal or semi-formal meeting contexts, such as in committees, boards, or assemblies. It describes the outcome of a discussion where a clear consensus is evident, even if not officially tallied.

Examples

• Noun:
  • After a long debate, the sense of the meeting was clearly in favor of adopting the new policy.
  • The secretary's notes aimed to accurately capture the sense of the meeting for the official record.
  • No formal motion was put forward, but the chairperson articulated the sense of the meeting to guide future action.

Advanced Usage

• "To take the sense of the meeting": A procedural phrase where the chair or facilitator actively seeks to discern and state the prevailing opinion.
  • Before calling for a vote, the moderator decided to take the sense of the meeting by asking for general comments.

Variants and Related Words

• Consensus (n): A general agreement.
  • The committee finally reached a consensus after hours of discussion.
• Meeting of the minds (idiom): An agreement or mutual understanding.
  • The successful negotiation signaled a true meeting of the minds between the two parties.

Synonyms

• Consensus
• General agreement
• Prevailing view
• Collective opinion

Related Phrases

• The mood of the meeting: Refers more to the general feeling or atmosphere rather than a specific agreed-upon conclusion.
  • The mood of the meeting was optimistic, despite the challenges discussed.

Notes

This term is specific to parliamentary and deliberative procedures. It emphasizes the collective, deliberative nature of group decision-making, distinguishing it from a simple majority vote. It is often summarized by the chairperson.

Noun

1. general agreement reached by an assembled group
   • no vote was taken, but after each discussion the chair summed up the sense of the meeting