majorityma‧jor‧i‧ty /məˈdʒɒrəti $ məˈdʒɔː-, məˈdʒɑː-/ ●●● S2 W1 AWL noun (plural majorities) 
The majority of workers find it quite hard to live on the amount of money they earn.great/vast/overwhelming majority of something (=almost all of a group) In the vast majority of cases the disease is fatal.be in the majority (=form the largest group) In this city, Muslims are in the majority. → silent majorityGRAMMAR: Singular or plural verb?• You use a plural verb with the majority of, when it is followed by a plural noun: · The majority of patients are women.• You use a plural verb with the majority on its own, when you are considering members of a group as individual people: · He sees several patients a day. The majority are women.• You usually use a singular verb with majority, when considering people as a single group: · The majority is unwilling to listen to the views of the minority. In British English, you can also use a plural verb in this meaning.Grammar guide ‒ NOUNS2most votes [countable] if one person or group wins a majority in an election, they win more votes than other people or groupsmajority of 50/100 etc He won by a majority of 500. The Labour Party won a huge majority at the last general election.clear/overall/absolute majority (=a situation in which one party wins more votes in an election than all the other parties) The party won an absolute majority in Portugal in 1987.small/narrow majority The government gained only a narrow majority, with 151 votes against 144.Labour/Conservative etc majority The Labour majority was reduced to just 15 seats at the last election.3majority vote/decision/verdict etc a vote or decision in which more people vote for something than vote against it: The committee takes decisions by majority vote. The jury found him guilty by a majority verdict.4majority stake/shareholding etc when one person or group owns a bigger share of a company than other people or groups and so is able to control what happens to the company: Alex Golding held a majority shareholding in Golding plc.5becoming an adult [uncountable] British English law the age when someone legally becomes an adult OPP minorityreach majority/the age of majority He became a partner in the family firm on reaching his majority.COLLOCATIONS– Meaning 2verbshave/hold a majority· The Democratic party has a majority in the Senate.win a majority· The Conservative Party won a large majority.secure a majority (=win a majority)· They failed to secure a majority.get/gain/receive a majority· If no one gets an overall majority, the vote is repeated.command a majority (=have a majority)· They were one seat short of being able to command a majority in parliament.increase a majority (=get more votes than you had before)· Labour increased its majority in the area.lose a majority· The Republicans lost their narrow majority in Congress at the midterm elections.retain a majority formal (=keep a majority)· They were able to retain an absolute majority of seats.defend a majority (=try not to lose it)· He is defending a majority of 400 against his Labour opponent.overturn a majority (=win a majority that previously belonged to someone else)· She hoped to overturn a Tory majority of 2,221.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + majoritya large majority· Parliament voted by a large majority in favour of the ban.a huge majority (=a very big majority)· Gone are the days of huge majorities and easy victories.a small majority· Their small majority made them worried about winning the next election.a slim/narrow majority (=a very small majority)· The proposal was passed by a slim majority.an overall majority (=more votes than anyone else)· What happens if no candidate receives an overall majority?an overwhelming majority (=a large majority)· The resolution was passed by an overwhelming majority.an absolute/outright/clear majority (=a majority that has been won by more than half the votes)· There was no party with an absolute majority in the House of Commons.a simple majority (=a majority that has been won by most of the votes)· A simple majority of the people at the meeting were in favour of the changes.a two-thirds/2:1/three to one etc majority· A two-thirds majority in both Houses of Congress is needed to overturn a presidential veto.a Labour/Democratic/Tory etc majority· Republican majorities were elected in both Houses of Congress that year.a parliamentary majority (=one that has enough seats in parliament to control it)· Labour increased its parliamentary majority.majority + NOUNa majority vote· The majority vote carries the resolution.the majority party (=the party with the most seats in a parliament)· At that time, Labour was the majority party in Parliament.majority support (=votes or support given by the most number of people)· a solution that will command majority support in the House
WORD ORIGINmajority
Origin:
1500-1600 French majorité, from Latin major; ➔ MAJOR1EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- A two-thirds majority is needed to override a veto.
- And now voters have chosen reform by unexpectedly large majorities.
- However, for the majority of those that eventually retired early, redundancy appears to have been the deciding factor.
- However, there is no doubt that the majority of authorities do favour an examination of reasonableness at the time of contracting.
- Meanwhile, the Senate voted but failed to get a two-thirds majority on the balanced budget and flag desecration amendments.
- Since 1879, House rules have required a majority of those voting for a distinct candidate to elect a speaker.
- That convention needed a consensus, while the London Dumping Convention adopts its resolutions by a two-thirds majority.
- The Labour candidate advocating a pacifist programme, reversed a large Conservative majority in a seat never before held by Labour.
- The vast majority of children do attend school for all or part of the primary school cycle.
Longman Language Activatorwhen there is much more of one type than of other types
· Apart from the Nile valley, Egypt is mostly desert.· I used to read a lot of poetry, mainly love poetry.· The new immigrants were mainly from Southern Europe.· The surface of Mercury seems to consist largely of dust.
if something, especially a group of people, is predominantly of a particular type, most of it is of that type: · The character Shylock is a Jew living in a predominantly Christian society.· As a civil engineer, Susan will be competing in a predominantly male profession.· Our economy is predominantly capitalist.
formal if people or things of a particular type predominate in a place or situation, they are present in greater numbers than other types of people or things: · Dairy farms predominate in Sussex.· In the summer, blue and pink flowers predominate, but there are white flowers, too, for contrast.
if people of a particular kind are in the majority in an organization or group, they form the largest part of it: · The number of women on the committee has grown steadily and now they are in the majority.
formal if there is a preponderance of people or things of a particular type in a group, most of the people or things in the group are of that type - used especially when the group is being studied: · At some universities, there is a preponderance of older lecturers.· They chose to investigate reasons for the preponderance of large families among the poor and ill-educated.
most of an amount, group, or thing the largest number of people or things, or the largest part of something: · What most people want is a peaceful life.· Most restaurants open at 7.· Most evenings we just stay in and watch TV.· Most research suggests that health is related to social class.most of: · Most of the people I spoke to were very worried.· Alex spent most of his allowance on books.· I've lived here most of my life, so I know the area pretty well.
· He likes almost all kinds of popular music.· We got nearly all our food from the farm.· The bed occupied nearly all the space in the room.almost all/nearly all of · Nearly all of my clothes are too small now.· Almost all of the world's tropical forests are in developing countries.
more than half of the people or things in a large group: · A poll of Democrats shows that a majority support the President.the/a majority of: · In June the majority of our students will be taking examinations.· They claim their campaign is supported by a majority of residents.the vast/great/overwhelming majority (=far more than half): · The great majority of accidents in the Alps occur while climbers are coming down.· an education policy that will please the vast majority of parents
most of a large amount or number of something: · Throughout the Middle Ages, the bulk of the population lived in the country rather than in towns.· The bulk of the charity's income comes from private donations.
most of a period of time or of a distance, especially when the time or distance is too long: · It was the best part of a mile to the farm.· It'll probably take the best part of a week to sort it out.· I expect the whole procedure to take the better part of a morning.
the biggest part of something valuable or good that is taken by one person, group, or organization, so that others get less: · Sarah only ate a few bites of the dessert, so I got the lion's share.the lion's share of: · Why should the state get the lion's share of people's money?· His company currently has the lion's share of the market.
what most people think about something what most of the people of a country think about a particular subject, idea, or problem: · Responding to public opinion, the government introduced new controls on guns.· Popular opinion is quite easily swayed by the media.· Public opinion should not influence every policy decision.· The shooting of an intruder by a farmer has sharply divided popular opinion.
a basic opinion with which most of the people in a particular group agree in a general way: · Events in Eastern Europe shifted popular consensus against a new generation of nuclear weapons.consensus that: · There was a growing consensus that the Prime Minister should resign.consensus of opinion: · There appears to be a consensus of opinion that the pilot was not at fault.
what most of the people in a group or a society think about something: · The majority view seems to be that we need more police officers on local streets.· The mayor was quick to point out that the racist group did not represent a majority view in the community.
WORD SETSaccess, nounacquit, verbacquittal, nounactionable, adjectiveact of God, nounadjourn, verbadminister, verbadmissible, adjectiveADR, nounadversarial, adjectiveadvocate, nounaffidavit, nounage, nounaggrieved, adjectiveagreement, nounannual return, anti-dumping, adjectiveantitrust, adjectiveAppeal Court, nounappear, verbappellate court, nounarraign, verbarticled clerk, articles of association, nounassignee, nounassizes, nounattachment, nounattest, verbattorney, nounattorney-at-law, nounattorney general, nounaverage clause, bailable, adjectivebailee, nounbailiff, nounbailment, nounban, nounbarrister, nounbeneficial owner, beneficiary, nounbequeath, verbbequest, nounbest efforts, adjectivebid-rigging, nounbill, nounbill of rights, nounblue law, nounbody corporate, bond, nounbook, verbbox, nounbreakdown clause, break fee, brief, nounbroker's lien, burden of proof, nounbusiness entity, buyer's risk, bylaw, nouncabotage, nouncadastre, nouncase, nouncase law, nouncash shell, nouncause, nouncause célèbre, nouncause of action, nouncaution, nouncaution, verbcertificate of incorporation, nouncertificate of protest, nouncertificate of search, nounchain of title, nounchallenge, nounchallenge, verbchancery, nounChapter 7, nouncharge, nouncharge, verbcharges register, chief justice, nouncircuit court, nouncite, verbcitizen's arrest, nouncivil, adjectivecivil law, nounclaim, nounclaimant, nounclass action, nounclause, nounclean, adjectivecloud on title, nouncollusion, nouncommerce clause, committal, nouncommon law, nouncommunity property, nounCommunity Reinvestment Act, nouncommutation, nounCompanies House, nouncompanies registry, company limited by guarantee, nouncompany limited by shares, nouncompany officer, competence, nouncompetent, adjectivecomplainant, nouncompletion, nouncompletion date, compliance officer, compulsory purchase, nounconditional discharge, nouncondition precedent, nouncondition subsequent, nounconduct money, confidentiality clause, confirmation hearing, conflict of laws, nounconjugal, adjectiveconsensus ad idem, nounconsent decree, consenting adult, nounconservator, nounconstituted, adjectiveconstitution, nounconstitutional, adjectiveconstitutionality, nouncontempt, nouncontest, verbcontingency fee, contract of insurance, nouncontract of purchase, nouncontract of service, nouncontravene, verbcontravention, nouncontributory negligence, nounconvey, verbconveyance, nounconveyancing, nounconvict, verbconviction, nouncopyright, nounco-respondent, nouncosignatory, nouncounsel, nouncounty court, nouncourthouse, nouncourt-martial, nouncourt-martial, verbCourt of Appeal, nounCourt of Appeals, nouncourt of inquiry, nouncourt of law, nounCourt of Queen's Bench, nouncourt order, nouncourt reporter, nouncourtroom, nouncramdown, nouncriminal, adjectivecriminal injury, criminalize, verbcriminal law, nouncross-examine, verbCrown Court, nouncurfew, nouncustodial, adjectiveD.A., noundata protection, death sentence, noundeath warrant, noundeclaration of association, noundecree, noundecree absolute, noundecree nisi, noundecriminalize, verbdeed, noundeed of conveyance, noundefalcation, noundefend, verbdefendant, noundeficiency judgment, noundeficiency judgment, de jure, adjectivedeposition, noundeputy, nounderivative lease, desertion, noundiminished responsibility, noundiplomatic immunity, noundirectors register, disabled quota, disbar, verbdischarge of contract, noundisclaim, verbdisclaimer, noundiscretionary, adjectivedisinherit, verbdismiss, verbdispense, verbdisposition, noundispossess, verbdissent, noundissolution, noundistrain, verbdistrict attorney, noundistrict court, noundivorce, noundivorce, verbdivorced, adjectivedocket, noundonee, noundouble jeopardy, noundraftsman, noundrink-driving, noundrunk driving, noundue process, nounduress, nouneasement, nounedict, nouneffective, adjectiveeminent domain, nounempower, verbenabling, adjectiveenabling clause, enact, verbendowment, nounenforced, adjectiveenjoin, verbescape clause, escrow, nounescrow agent, estate, nounestoppel, nounevidence, nounexamination, nounexamination-in-chief, nounexamine, verbexculpate, verbexecute, verbexecutor, nounexecutrix, nounexhibit, nounexpectations, nounex post facto law, nounexpropriate, verbextradite, verbextrajudicial, adjectivefair dealing, false representation, nounfee absolute, nounfiduciary, nounfiduciary, adjectivefinding, nounfirm name, nounfixtures and fittings, nounforce majeure, nounforeman, nounforewoman, nounfreeholder, nounfree pardon, nounfrustration of contract, fugitive, nounfugitive, adjectivegagging order, gag order, noungarnishee, verbgarnishee, noungeneral counsel, noungeneral practice, noungive, verbgrand jury, noungrantee, noungrantor, noungreen paper, noungross misconduct, ground rent, nounguarantee, verbguarantor, nounguaranty, nounguillotine, verbguilt, noungun control, nounhabeas corpus, nounHague Rules, nounhear, verbhearing, nounheir, nounheir apparent, nounhereafter, adverbhereditament, nounhereinafter, adverbhereof, adverbhereto, adverbheritable, adjectiveHigh Court, nounHighway Code, nounhirer, nounhuman right, nounimplied term, inadmissible, adjectiveinalienable, adjectiveincriminate, verbindemnify, verbindemnity, nounindict, verbindictable, adjectiveindictment, nounindustrial tribunal, nouninitiative, nouninjunction, nounin loco parentis, adverbinnocence, nouninnocent, adjectiveinoperative, adjectiveinquest, nouninsanity, nouninstruct, verbintellectual property, nounintent, nouninterdict, nouninterlocutory injunction, invoke, verbJane Doe, nounjob quota, joint and several liability, JP, nounjudge, nounjudge, verbjudicial, adjectivejuridical, adjectivejurisdiction, nounjurisprudence, nounjurist, nounjuror, nounjury, nounjury box, nounjury service, nounjustice, nounJustice of the Peace, nounjustifiable homicide, nounjuvenile, adjectivekangaroo court, nounKing's Counsel, nounlaw firm, nounlawyer, nounlease, nounleasehold, adjectiveleaseholder, nounlegatee, nounlegator, nounlessee, nounlessor, nounletters of administration, nounliable, adjectivelicensee, nounlien, nounlienee, nounlienor, nounlimited liability, nounliquidated damages, litigant, nounlitigate, verblitigation, nounlitigator, nounlitigious, adjectiveliving will, nounloophole, nounmagisterial, adjectivemagistracy, nounmagistrate, nounMagistrates' Court, nounmaintenance, nounmajority, nounmalfeasance, nounmalpractice, nounmarriage certificate, nounmarriage licence, nounmarriage lines, nounmaterial, adjectivematerial fact, nounmemorandum, nounmiscarriage of justice, nounmisdirect, verbmisfeasance, nounmisstatement, nounmistrial, nounM'lord, nounM'lud, nounmoiety, nounmonies, nounmoot court, nounmoratorium, nounmovable, nounno-fault, adjectivenolo contendere, nounnonfeasance, nounnon-negotiable, adjectivenotary, nounnuisance, nounnullify, verbnullity, nounoath, nounopen-and-shut case, nounopen verdict, nounoperative mistake, nounordinance, nounoriginating application, originating summons, outlaw, nounout-of-court settlement, nounoyez, interjectionpalimony, nounpanel, nounparalegal, nounpardon, verbpardon, nounparty, nounpass, verbpassage, nounpatent, nounpatent, adjectivepaternity, nounpaternity suit, nounpatrimony, nounpenal code, nounpenalty, nounperformance contract, perjury, nounpersonal injury, personal representative, personalty, nounpetition, nounpetition, verbpetitioner, nounplaintiff, nounplanning permission, nounplea bargaining, nounpleadings, nounpledgee, nounpolice, verbpositive discrimination, nounpower of attorney, nounprecedent, nounprejudice, verbpreservation order, nounpresume, verbprice-fixing, nounprima facie, adjectiveprimary residence, prime tenant, primogeniture, nounprivate law, nounprivileged, adjectiveprivity, nounprobate, nounprobate, verbprobation, nounprobationer, nounprobation officer, nounpro bono, adjectiveprocedural, adjectiveproceeding, nounproceedings, nounprohibit, verbprohibition, nounprohibitive, adjectivepromulgate, verbpronounce, verbproposition, nounproscribe, verbprosecute, verbprosecution, nounprosecutor, nounprotective custody, nounprove, verbprovision, nounprovisional licence, nounproximate cause, nounpublic defender, nounpublic prosecutor, nounpublic service vehicle, punishable, adjectiveQC, nounquarter sessions, nounquash, verbQueen's Counsel, nounreal property, nounrecess, nounrecess, verbrecognition, nounrecognizance, nounrecorder, nounreeve, nounregulation, nounremand, verbremand, nounrepeal, verbrescind, verbrespondent, nounrestoration, nounrestore, verbretainer, nounretrial, nounretroactive, adjectiveretrospective, adjectiveretry, verbreversion, nounrevocation, nounrevoke, verbRex, nounright of appeal, nounroad tax, nounroot of title, royalty payment, rule, verbruling, nounsaid, adjectivesalami slicing, nounSarbanes-Oxley Act, nounscheme of arrangement, nounsentence, nounsentence, verbsequester, verbsession, nounsettlement date, settlement terms, shall, modal verbshell company, sheriff, nounsheriff court, nounshow trial, nounsitting tenant, nounsmall claims court, nounsolicitor, nounsolicitor general, nounSOX, nounspecial licence, nounspecific performance, speed limit, nounstakeholder, nounstate attorney, nounstate court, nounstated case, statute, nounstatute law, nounstatute of limitations, nounstatutory, adjectivestatutory report, stay, nounstay of execution, nounstipendiary magistrate, nounstoppage in transit, nounsub judice, adverbsubmission, nounsuborn, verbsubpoena, nounsubpoena, verbsue, verbsuit, nounsumming up, nounsumming-up, nounsummons, nounsummons, verbSupreme Court, nounsurety, nounsuspended sentence, nounswear, verbtechnicality, nountenant at sufferance, nountenant at will, nountenant for years, nountenant in common, nountenure, nountestament, nountestator, nountest case, nountest certificate, nountestify, verbtestimony, nounthereinafter, adverbthird party, nounthrough, prepositionticket, nounticket, verbtitle, nountitle deed, nountitle holder, nountort, nountradename, nounTrading Standards, treasure trove, nountrespass, verbtrespass, nountrial, nountrust for sale, nounultra vires, adjectiveunderwriting power, undue influence, noununlicensed, adjectiveuphold, verbverdict, nounvindicate, verbvisa, nounvoucher, nounward, nounwarrant, nounwhereas, conjunctionwill, nounwill, verbwinding up, nounwitness, nounwitness, verbwitness box, nounwrit, nounwrongful termination,
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY Meaning 2verbs An overwhelming majority of the members were against the idea.
· The Democratic party has a majority in the Senate.
· The Conservative Party won a large majority.
(=win a majority)· They failed to secure a majority.
· If no one gets an overall majority, the vote is repeated.
(=have a majority)· They were one seat short of being able to command a majority in parliament.
(=get more votes than you had before)· Labour increased its majority in the area.
· The Republicans lost their narrow majority in Congress at the midterm elections.
formal (=keep a majority)· They were able to retain an absolute majority of seats.
(=try not to lose it)· He is defending a majority of 400 against his Labour opponent.
(=win a majority that previously belonged to someone else)· She hoped to overturn a Tory majority of 2,221.
ADJECTIVES/NOUN + majority· Parliament voted by a large majority in favour of the ban.
(=a very big majority)· Gone are the days of huge majorities and easy victories.
· Their small majority made them worried about winning the next election.
(=a very small majority)· The proposal was passed by a slim majority.
(=more votes than anyone else)· What happens if no candidate receives an overall majority?
(=a large majority)· The resolution was passed by an overwhelming majority.
(=a majority that has been won by more than half the votes)· There was no party with an absolute majority in the House of Commons.
(=a majority that has been won by most of the votes)· A simple majority of the people at the meeting were in favour of the changes.
· A two-thirds majority in both Houses of Congress is needed to overturn a presidential veto.
· Republican majorities were elected in both Houses of Congress that year.
(=one that has enough seats in parliament to control it)· Labour increased its parliamentary majority.
majority + NOUN· The majority vote carries the resolution.
(=the party with the most seats in a parliament)· At that time, Labour was the majority party in Parliament.
(=votes or support given by the most number of people)· a solution that will command majority support in the House
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES An overwhelming majority of the members were against the idea. British English (=when most of the jury agrees)· They were finding it difficult to reach a majority verdict.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE· National secured an absolute majority with only 35.1 % of the vote.· Meanwhile the ex-communist Social Democrats are certain to be returned to power and even hope to obtain an absolute majority.· The motion failed to obtain an absolute majority of 249 but it was a close-run thing.· If there is a party with an absolute majority in the lower house it will form the government.· As they controlled an absolute majority of shares, the club was effectively closed.· If the candidate obtains an absolute majority, he is appointed Chancellor by the Federal President.
· If the Bill wins a clear majority, it is almost certain to become the basis of new legislation.· A clear majority of the nine students wore Nikes.· For all that, observers are unanimous that Swapo will emerge with a clear majority.· It will be a clear majority when the century turns.· Join Congress, Mr Gandhi seemed to be saying, and create a party strong enough to have a clear majority.· For the first time in decades, the 500-seat Chamber is without a clear majority.· It said there had been seven votes cast and a clear majority for Prime Suspect.· In each case a clear majority of Republican voters rejected him.
· The Labour candidate advocating a pacifist programme, reversed a large Conservative majority in a seat never before held by Labour.· From 1993 to 1995, a conservative legislative majority produced a second period of cohabitation.· Yet Labour in the 1980s was still insufficiently united and popular to reverse the massive Conservative majority in terms of parliamentary seats.· One must be held by May 1997 anyway, even if the precarious Conservative majority holds.· The hectic schedule ended in Cheltenham, where the Liberal democrats hope to overturn a Conservative majority of just under 5,000.· Many people suspended judgement and throughout the West Midlands reduced polls saw Conservative majorities cut.· In a town with a Conservative majority of just 2,661, the personal charm and persuasion of each candidate will be crucial.· Perhaps also he will reflect that he has reduced the Conservative majority to its lowest since 1951.
· It is immediately noticeable that the great majority of comments come from the childhood memories.· The great majority, once they breach the system and hear the telltale whine, are out of there like a shot.· But convenience is rated as the most important factor in deciding on a particular type of credit by the great majority.· Anthropologists point out that within the great majority of agricultural communities grandmothers and older children take care of the young.· A great majority of them are looking for the theatre of books, and it is not there.· Today we are the great majority, and the enemies that we face are of our own species.· In both surveys, the great majority of people said that they favoured the plan.· These rulings compelled the reapportionment of the great majority of state legislatures.
· As I hope to demonstrate later, by far the largest majority of infants are biased towards being social rather than antisocial.· Initially MacArthur had a large majority of the people with him.· We already know that a large majority of women who do paid work at home feel themselves tied by child-care responsibilities.· Even so, a large majority predicted the Republicans would retain control of the Senate and House.· In some countries a large majority of the electorate do not even exercise the right to vote.· The large majority of the counterforce explosions are subsurface bursts targeted against silo farms.· Many councils are controlled by their political opponents, even in areas where Conservatives hold parliamentary seats with quite large majorities.· The large majority of all Amors reach out into the heart of the asteroid belt near aphelion.
· As late as last year a narrow conference majority wanted to hold the party to unilateral nuclear disarmament.· The margin is very narrow of their majority.· With the new, narrow Republican majority, these moths suddenly matter.
· If Labour took all 42, it would still be 13 seats short of an overall majority.· An overall Labour majority is not beyond the realms of possibility.· The Conservatives need a 7.3 % swing to ensure that Labour loses 90 seats, and its overall majority.· Before hearing the poll results, Mr Major and Mr Kinnock voiced their confidence that they would win with an overall majority.· The government was elected in October 1974 with an overall majority of three.· The Tories therefore would fall 12 seats short of an overall majority.· Ladbrokes are offering 55-1 against Party Politics winning today and Labour having an overall majority in the election.· With the Socialists in most constituencies opting to go it alone in pursuit of an overall majority, the left was now divided.
· As modernization proceeded, the overwhelming majority of graduates became healthily integrated within existing society.· The overwhelming majority of these will be just existing ways of doing things.· Most important, its implementation relied on the military, who, in the overwhelming majority, were adamantly anti-reform.· And an overwhelming majority thought the photos would not further calls for tougher press controls.· No, says the overwhelming majority.· The overwhelming majority of peasant communications were oral in nature in a society that was still largely illiterate.· But in terms of the protestant - loyalist philosophy, the overwhelming majority of catholics oppose the state's legitimacy.· The overwhelming majority of the women, the children and the elderly we process with gas and fire.
· The departure of the two parties removed the Shamir government's parliamentary majority.· Was it because its parliamentary majority prevented any real possibility of its position being threatened?· Yet there was always an element of complacency about an administration which enjoyed a substantial parliamentary majority.· Ministers could expect to have a parliamentary majority whatever they did.· He had only a tiny parliamentary majority, and Britain was in the grip of another economic crisis.· Between elections, a government with a sufficient parliamentary majority obedient to its will is absolute and omnipotent.· At any rate, the party's share of the vote continued its slide, giving Labour a large parliamentary majority.· Their parliamentary majority was reduced to a handful in February 1950 and eliminated in October 1951.
· Gingrich is now careful not to alienate Buchananites, whose votes are needed this year to maintain the Republican majority in Congress.· But the new Republican majority in the Assembly changes the dynamics.· With the new, narrow Republican majority, these moths suddenly matter.· The Florida Legislature: Both the state senate and house of representatives have Republican majorities.· The Republican majority might have a problem with him, though.· Nor can the Republican majority on his panel be viewed as simply do-gooders out to restore candor to the White House.· The Republican majority has backed away from plans to dramatically scale back the food stamp program.· Nor did the president offer much of an olive branch to the Republican majority in Congress.
· That will not, by definition, come from the silent majority.· But the silent, accommodating majorities on both sides will get on with the business of addressing the broader problems.· This, therefore, is not the business of the silent majority which you have presented as your target.· This turned him into a hero of the silent majority.· It contains an inherent fallacy: you are expecting the silent majority to speak.· For the silent majority will always be silent.· The silent majority had begun to stand up.· Highly-educated women were able to find a place within society: the silent majority remained silent.
· His lawyers have appealed to the constitutional court against the decree, which was agreed by a simple cabinet majority.· Yet right now it is possible to raise the debt limit with a simple majority vote in both houses.· The outcome of the election is, at least in simple majority systems, a direct arithmetic consequence of the individual votes cast.· The idea of funding the museum with a lease revenue bond, which requires a simple majority vote, may be used.· In practice, however, simple majorities were to be applicable only in six very minor and procedural areas.· Three-fifths votes of both houses would be required, rather than simple majorities as now.· All that was needed was a fifty-signature petition, a special general meeting and a simple majority in favour of the proposition.· A simple majority was needed for approval.
· This causes no discernible pain in the vast majority of cases.· There are over 80 strains, the vast majority symptomless and harmless.· The vast majority of children do attend school for all or part of the primary school cycle.· But for the vast majority of families who struggle to make ends meet without welfare, the speech could strike a chord.· The vast majority of these migrants stayed broadly within the science, maths and engineering fields.· But a young princess can seduce the vast majority of men.· The vast majority curse the day they became hooked on the habit.· And liberals have long been accustomed to expect the poor to speak in the resounding tones of a vast majority.
NOUN· The majority decision said the cabinet must now report to the legislature on its plan to scrap the plant.· The jury took two hours to return a majority decision finding Shepherd guilty of assaulting Mr Hyslop.· My major concern about the Maastricht negotiations relates to the limited majority decision making envisaged for foreign policy.· He was therefore equally clear that majority decisions would not necessarily embody the general will or express the general interest.
· But Dole rebuffed calls that he resign as majority leader because he is too busy campaigning.· Being majority leader is a good position to be in.· Spitzer is set to be majority leader.· Dole spent Wednesday in Washington acting in his official capacity as Senate majority leader.· Bob Dole, R-Kan., the majority leader, had held many meetings with Clinton on the Bosian mess.· On the other hand, no majority leader has ever won the presidency from the position, though several have tried.· The week also provided some victories for the majority leader.
· The post of prime minister was to be held by a member of the majority party in the assembly.· Think and act like the majority party by remaining the party of ideas.· That is to say, chairmen are invariably the most senior member of the majority party on that committee.· It can only happen after a disastrous split in the majority party or when no party has a majority.· North Down - remained unionist, but Conservatives are no longer the majority party.· There is the sovereignty of the majority party and its Whips.· Most authorities lacked such a committee before this except in a shadow, non-statutory form within the majority party caucus.· The final resolution will depend on the majority party group of members and the full council.
· Is majority rule under a system of parliamentary democracy a sufficient guarantee of legitimacy?· In the case of spending and tax legislation, majority rule is thus further weakened.· Many reject democracy in terms of party competition, majority rule and the rule of law.· Those who peopled them have either been driven out in a bloody liberation war or yielded their political supremacy to majority rule.· In these weeks, I have had the chance to listen to Joshua Nkomo calling for majority rule now.· Two working conclusions follow from this, namely, toleration and the qualification of majority rule.· The majority leadership's specialty became mounting filibusters or using other delaying tactics to prevent majority rule.
· Dole supporters described the Senate majority leader as a decent, honest person.· Dole spent Wednesday in Washington acting in his official capacity as Senate majority leader.· Dole, the Senate majority leader, on the front page.· The Senate majority leader talked about a balanced budget, smaller government, lower taxes, and a strong foreign policy.· The same election results that stunned the Senate majority leader may also have shaken him awake.· Kansas' Dole is Senate majority leader, but he was not consulted because he is a candidate.· Chicago-Seattle, running through the hometowns of the Senate majority leader and of the chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee.
· Demand from investors will determine how many new shares are issued, although Pittencrieff said yesterday it will retain a majority stake.· Vodafone, however, has a reputation of building up majority stakes in its company holdings.
· Races could only get going on a majority vote of the Student Union, and then only if it was quorate.· Yet right now it is possible to raise the debt limit with a simple majority vote in both houses.· The new statutes could only be changed by a two-thirds majority vote of the new Congress.· The idea of funding the museum with a lease revenue bond, which requires a simple majority vote, may be used.· If not, the proposal would then be put to the Council of eleven member states for a qualified majority vote.· Because management usually controls a large number of shares, such resolutions almost never win a majority vote.· The bulk -- 38 -- ask simply for a majority vote.· Stopping the White House from selling weapons to a foreign country requires a majority vote in both houses of Congress.
VERB· What if no party leader can form a government with majority support in the House?· Together they form a pro-business majority.· The situation is different in the case of hybrids, which form the great majority of Aponogeton plants in aquariums.· This name covers a group of Aponogeton plants forming the great majority of aquarium representatives of this genus.
· The banks who held the great majority of private accounts were divided by Joslin into two groups.· It was voted down by Republicans, who hold a majority on the Assembly Education Committee.· They held a majority of seats on the National Executive Committee.· Democrats still hold a majority in the Senate.· Republicans hold a bare majority in the Assembly.· On the other hand, you may fully share the sense of significance held by a majority of people.· With Republicans now holding a 53-47 majority in the Senate, Sen.
· The possibility is dawning on Republicans that they could actually lose their majority in the House.· After a ferocious election campaign, religious conservatives lost their majority on the board in November.· He recalled watching the Democrats rebuff their own conservative wing until they lost their majority.· If they lose it, they will probably lose their majority.· Dianne Feinstein said Monday is unlikely to change unless the Republicans lose their majority in the House.· The chances of losing their majority before five years are up become around four in ten.· The Labour party have lost their majority which has enabled them to do a lot of stupid things.
· The overwhelming majority of the Tarim mummies either have been or are currently in the process of being destroyed.· It includes the overwhelming majority of the voters and is consequently more heterogeneous in its social and ideological composition.· The utilities' charts show that the overwhelming majority of air pollution in the region results from natural dust.· The overwhelming majority are law-abiding and productive.· But she has no good explanation why the overwhelming majority of hysterics seem to be women, especially today.· In these cases, the overwhelming majority of the wastes are shipped by the generator to commercial facilities for treatment or disposal.
· Because the law requires a two-thirds majority for an appointment, government and opposition parties must agree in advance whom to elect.· The idea of funding the museum with a lease revenue bond, which requires a simple majority vote, may be used.· Directives based on Article 54 require majority voting.· The measure, backed by all five members of the Novato City Council, required a simple majority for passage.· A third and final round requiring only a three-fifths majority of 180 votes was due on March 3.· Stopping the White House from selling weapons to a foreign country requires a majority vote in both houses of Congress.· Both of these require only a qualified majority of the Council.· A sense of congress resolution requires only a simple majority.
· The draft was due to be discussed with opposition parties in September with a view to securing a parliamentary majority.· However, with his defeat at Puebla, the moderates secured a majority in Congress and determined to make peace.· President Herzog granted the Labour leader a further 15 days in which to secure majority support.· Leaders of several parties might form a coalition in order to secure majority support for certain policies.· The way to avoid this was to vote Tory and secure a majority government maintaining the existing system.· National secured an absolute majority with only 35.1 % of the vote.· They hoped and believed that Bonar Law would fail to secure an overall majority for the Conservative Party.· Election results Mahathir's coalition won 127 parliamentary seats, thereby securing its two-thirds majority.
· These findings are surprising since it is more difficult to show efficacy when the majority of patients have remission/mild disease.· Polls showed that a vast majority of women agreed with our goal.· The desire to stop Surveys have shown that a majority of adult smokers want to give up the habit.· And major studies have shown that the vast majority have believed it, and have acted on that belief.· But latest polls show a majority in favour of breaking away.· Early polls showed a majority of Californians favored the surtax.· A meeting of factory chiefs at Misano on Thursday, showed a majority were behind dropping the rules.· The utilities' charts show that the overwhelming majority of air pollution in the region results from natural dust.
· The conclusion is that Nkrumah would have otherwise won by the two-thirds majority which was the general election pattern.· Daley got 71. 4 percent of the vote, and won by a majority of 466, 672.· Before hearing the poll results, Mr Major and Mr Kinnock voiced their confidence that they would win with an overall majority.· Yeltsin won majorities in more than 80 of the 88 electoral districts.· In 1972 Richard Nixon became the first Republican to win a majority of Catholic votes.· Nevertheless, the resolution might still have won a majority had it not been for the stolen goods in the outhouse.· Maskhadov beat Basayev and the others, winning by a majority.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRYPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► the moral majority► the silent majority► a thin margin/majority etc► tyranny of the majority
1most people or things [singular] most of the people or things in a group OPP minoritymajority of- And I suppose the way to change the damned constitution is with a majority vote.
- It took the jury almost five hours to reach a majority verdict and acquit her on all three charges.
- Stopping the White House from selling weapons to a foreign country requires a majority vote in both houses of Congress.
- Supposing Yorkshire or Cornwall decided by a majority vote to secede from Britain and elect their own government.
- The majority decision said the cabinet must now report to the legislature on its plan to scrap the plant.
- The reason for this is that government output is determined on the basis of a simple majority vote model.
- Then there is the problem of qualified majority voting on foreign policy issues.
- With a pure majority vote, this would presumably be enacted.
- And if the deceased director owned a majority shareholding, the surviving directors could suddenly find themselves with a new boss.
- Demand from investors will determine how many new shares are issued, although Pittencrieff said yesterday it will retain a majority stake.
- Virgin was interested in the Ames group and took a majority shareholding.
- Vodafone, however, has a reputation of building up majority stakes in its company holdings.
- Adjust the starting point so that you avoid a very narrow margin at the perimeter.
- Crowds gathered in central Lima last Sunday night to cheer his narrow victory over former president Alan Garcia.
- John F.. Kennedy that helped propel the handsome young Massachusetts Democrat to a narrow victory.
- On election night, however, the team squeaked out a narrow victory.
- Surprise! the seventh firm won the tender by a narrow margin.
- Their relatively late arrival in the quarter coupled with their costs and the narrow margins on the surprise Model 20 impacted earnings.
- Was Buzz Calkins' narrow victory over Tony Stewart enough to keep them interested?
- While both developer subsidies passed, the narrow margin clearly indicates the voters of this valley are beginning to wise up.
- The vast majority of the immigrants have settled in the inner cities.
- But a young princess can seduce the vast majority of men.
- Disability and age While the vast majority of older people are able to live independently, significant minorities experience considerable difficulties.
- For the vast majority of people, getting enough fat is nothing to worry about.
- However, the vast majority of fans interviewed before the Tampa Bay game were angry, disappointed or a combination of both.
- Once the excavation is over, the vast majority of sites revert to the anonymity that they possessed before it started.
- That's why the vast majority of users are attracted to Microsoft Windows by its very simplicity.
- The low proportion with an acquittal outcome probably reflects that the vast majority of these cases involve a guilty plea.
- To operate the program in this manner would therefore be pointless, since the vast majority of results would remain undecided.
- However, a second election took place in September of that year, which gave him a pathetic working majority of four.
- None gave the Tories a hope of being elected with a working majority.
- Since then, Labour has never won a secure working majority at any election.
- The working majority achieved by the Conservatives removed that worry.
- The debate was acrimonious, with opposition parties denouncing Shamir's deals with defectors from other parties to win his working majority.
- Together the four parties had 191 seats, a working majority of 11.
- With the support of various independents, they gave the General a solid working majority.
- Without its support the coalition will not have a working majority in parliament.
The majority of workers find it quite hard to live on the amount of money they earn.great/vast/overwhelming majority of something (=almost all of a group) In the vast majority of cases the disease is fatal.be in the majority (=form the largest group) In this city, Muslims are in the majority. → silent majorityGRAMMAR: Singular or plural verb?• You use a plural verb with the majority of, when it is followed by a plural noun: · The majority of patients are women.• You use a plural verb with the majority on its own, when you are considering members of a group as individual people: · He sees several patients a day. The majority are women.• You usually use a singular verb with majority, when considering people as a single group: · The majority is unwilling to listen to the views of the minority. In British English, you can also use a plural verb in this meaning.Grammar guide ‒ NOUNS2most votes [countable] if one person or group wins a majority in an election, they win more votes than other people or groupsmajority of 50/100 etc He won by a majority of 500. The Labour Party won a huge majority at the last general election.clear/overall/absolute majority (=a situation in which one party wins more votes in an election than all the other parties) The party won an absolute majority in Portugal in 1987.small/narrow majority The government gained only a narrow majority, with 151 votes against 144.Labour/Conservative etc majority The Labour majority was reduced to just 15 seats at the last election.3majority vote/decision/verdict etc a vote or decision in which more people vote for something than vote against it: The committee takes decisions by majority vote. The jury found him guilty by a majority verdict.4majority stake/shareholding etc when one person or group owns a bigger share of a company than other people or groups and so is able to control what happens to the company: Alex Golding held a majority shareholding in Golding plc.5becoming an adult [uncountable] British English law the age when someone legally becomes an adult OPP minorityreach majority/the age of majority He became a partner in the family firm on reaching his majority.COLLOCATIONS– Meaning 2verbshave/hold a majority· The Democratic party has a majority in the Senate.win a majority· The Conservative Party won a large majority.secure a majority (=win a majority)· They failed to secure a majority.get/gain/receive a majority· If no one gets an overall majority, the vote is repeated.command a majority (=have a majority)· They were one seat short of being able to command a majority in parliament.increase a majority (=get more votes than you had before)· Labour increased its majority in the area.lose a majority· The Republicans lost their narrow majority in Congress at the midterm elections.retain a majority formal (=keep a majority)· They were able to retain an absolute majority of seats.defend a majority (=try not to lose it)· He is defending a majority of 400 against his Labour opponent.overturn a majority (=win a majority that previously belonged to someone else)· She hoped to overturn a Tory majority of 2,221.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + majoritya large majority· Parliament voted by a large majority in favour of the ban.a huge majority (=a very big majority)· Gone are the days of huge majorities and easy victories.a small majority· Their small majority made them worried about winning the next election.a slim/narrow majority (=a very small majority)· The proposal was passed by a slim majority.an overall majority (=more votes than anyone else)· What happens if no candidate receives an overall majority?an overwhelming majority (=a large majority)· The resolution was passed by an overwhelming majority.an absolute/outright/clear majority (=a majority that has been won by more than half the votes)· There was no party with an absolute majority in the House of Commons.a simple majority (=a majority that has been won by most of the votes)· A simple majority of the people at the meeting were in favour of the changes.a two-thirds/2:1/three to one etc majority· A two-thirds majority in both Houses of Congress is needed to overturn a presidential veto.a Labour/Democratic/Tory etc majority· Republican majorities were elected in both Houses of Congress that year.a parliamentary majority (=one that has enough seats in parliament to control it)· Labour increased its parliamentary majority.majority + NOUNa majority vote· The majority vote carries the resolution.the majority party (=the party with the most seats in a parliament)· At that time, Labour was the majority party in Parliament.majority support (=votes or support given by the most number of people)· a solution that will command majority support in the House- Second Coming
- second-degree
- seconder
- second-guess
- Second Gulf War
- second hand
- second-hand
- second home
- second-in-command
- second language
- second lieutenant
- Second Life
- secondly
- secondment
- second name
- second person
- second-rate
- second screen
- second screener
- second screening
- second sight
- second-string
- Second World War
- secrecy
- secret