Phrase guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.
noun
The largest portion of a demographic group or of the population of a political jurisdiction, which is considered to possess political and social views that are not openly declared, but that can nevertheless significantly affect voting patterns and social behavior.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US
Topics: government, politics
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: vocal minority
noun
Those who are dead.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, euphemistic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Popularized in contemporary usage by U.S. President Richard Nixon in a speech on November 3, 1969. The older sense for "the dead" was used in English since the 19th century, and further back in Latin by the Roman writer Petronius, who wrote abiit ad plures (“he has gone to the majority”) to describe the dead.
Across languages
6 source translations are retained for this English entry.
