elect

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e·lect

(ĭ-lĕkt′)

tr.v. e·lect·ed, e·lect·ing, e·lects

1. To select by vote for an office or for membership: elected her club president.

2. To pick out; select: elect an art course.

3. To decide, especially by preference: elected to take the summer off.

4. To select by divine will for salvation. Used of God.

adj.

1. Chosen deliberately; singled out: an elect group of advisers.

a. Elected but not yet installed. Often used in combination: the governor-elect.

b. Chosen for marriage. Often used in combination: the bride-elect.

3. Selected by divine will for salvation.

1. One that is chosen or selected.

2. One selected by divine will for salvation.

3. (used with a pl. verb) An exclusive group of people. Used with the: one of the elect who have power inside the government.

[Middle English electen, from Latin ēligere, ēlēct-, to select : ē-, ex-, ex- + legere, to choose; see leg- in Indo-European roots.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

elect

(ɪˈlɛkt)

1. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) (tr) to choose (someone) to be (a representative or a public official) by voting: they elected him Mayor.

2. to select; choose: to elect to die rather than surrender.

3. (Theology) (tr) (of God) to select or predestine for the grace of salvation

adj

4. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) (immediately postpositive) voted into office but not yet installed: the president elect.

a. chosen or choice; selected or elite

b. (as collective noun; preceded by the): the elect.

6. (Ecclesiastical Terms) Christianity

a. selected or predestined by God to receive salvation; chosen

b. (as collective noun; preceded by the): the elect.

[C15: from Latin ēligere to select, from legere to choose]

eˈlectable adj

eˌlectaˈbility n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

e•lect

(ɪˈlɛkt)

v.t.

1. to choose or select by vote, as for an office: to elect a mayor.

2. to determine in favor of (a method, course of action, etc.).

3. to choose (a course of study).

4. (of God) to select for divine mercy or favor, esp. for salvation.

v.i.

5. to choose or select someone or something, as by voting.

adj.

6. selected for an office, but not yet inducted (usu. used in combination): the governor-elect.

7. select or choice: an elect circle of artists.

8. chosen by God, esp. for eternal life.

9. the elect or elected,

a. persons chosen or worthy to be chosen.

b. a person or persons chosen by God, esp. for favor or salvation.

[1250–1300; Middle English < Latin ēlēctus, past participle of ēligere to select, pick out =ē- e- + -ligere, comb. form of legere to gather]

e•lect′a•ble, adj.

e•lect`a•bil′i•ty, n.

e•lec•tee (ɪ lɛkˈti) n.

elect

1. used as a verb

Elect is usually a verb. When people elect someone, they choose that person to represent them, by voting for them.

They met to elect a president.

Why should we elect him Mayor?

You could be elected as an MP.

Be Careful!
You only say that someone is elected when they are chosen by voting. If they are chosen in some other way, you use another word such as appoint, choose, select, or pick.

See choose

2. used as an adjective

Elect is sometimes added after words such as president or governor to indicate that someone has been appointed to a post but has not officially started to carry out their duties. When elect has this meaning, it is only used immediately after a noun.

...the President elect.

Be Careful!
You do not use 'elect' as an adjective simply to say that someone has been elected by voting. Instead you use elected in front of a noun.

...a democratically elected government.

...the newly elected president.

Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012

elect

Past participle: elected
Gerund: electing

Imperative
elect
elect

Present
I elect
you elect
he/she/it elects
we elect
you elect
they elect

Preterite
I elected
you elected
he/she/it elected
we elected
you elected
they elected

Present Continuous
I am electing
you are electing
he/she/it is electing
we are electing
you are electing
they are electing

Present Perfect
I have elected
you have elected
he/she/it has elected
we have elected
you have elected
they have elected

Past Continuous
I was electing
you were electing
he/she/it was electing
we were electing
you were electing
they were electing

Past Perfect
I had elected
you had elected
he/she/it had elected
we had elected
you had elected
they had elected

Future
I will elect
you will elect
he/she/it will elect
we will elect
you will elect
they will elect

Future Perfect
I will have elected
you will have elected
he/she/it will have elected
we will have elected
you will have elected
they will have elected

Future Continuous
I will be electing
you will be electing
he/she/it will be electing
we will be electing
you will be electing
they will be electing

Present Perfect Continuous
I have been electing
you have been electing
he/she/it has been electing
we have been electing
you have been electing
they have been electing

Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been electing
you will have been electing
he/she/it will have been electing
we will have been electing
you will have been electing
they will have been electing

Past Perfect Continuous
I had been electing
you had been electing
he/she/it had been electing
we had been electing
you had been electing
they had been electing

Conditional
I would elect
you would elect
he/she/it would elect
we would elect
you would elect
they would elect

Past Conditional
I would have elected
you would have elected
he/she/it would have elected
we would have elected
you would have elected
they would have elected

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Noun	1.	elect - an exclusive group of people; "one of the elect who have power inside the government" chosen elite, elite group - a group or class of persons enjoying superior intellectual or social or economic status
Verb	1.	elect - select by a vote for an office or membership; "We elected him chairman of the board" choose, pick out, select, take - pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives; "Take any one of these cards"; "Choose a good husband for your daughter"; "She selected a pair of shoes from among the dozen the salesgirl had shown her" co-opt - choose or elect as a fellow member or colleague; "The church members co-opted individuals from similar backgrounds to replenish the congregation" reelect, return - elect again
	2.	elect - choose; "I elected to have my funds deposited automatically" choose, pick out, select, take - pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives; "Take any one of these cards"; "Choose a good husband for your daughter"; "She selected a pair of shoes from among the dozen the salesgirl had shown her"
Adj.	1.	elect - selected as the best; "an elect circle of artists"; "elite colleges" elite selected - chosen in preference to another
	2.	elect - elected but not yet installed in office; "the president elect" incoming - arriving at a place or position; "incoming class"; "incoming mail"

elect

verb

1. vote for, choose, pick, determine, select, appoint, opt for, designate, pick out, settle on, decide upon The people have voted to elect a new president.

2. choose, decide, prefer, select, opt Those electing to smoke will be seated at the rear.

adjective

1. selected, chosen, picked, choice, preferred, select, elite, of choice, hand-picked one of the elect few permitted to enter

2. future, to-be, coming, next, appointed, designate, prospective the date when the president-elect takes office

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

elect

verb

1. To select by vote for an office:

ballot, vote (in).

2. To make a choice from a number of alternatives:

choose, cull, opt (for), pick (out), select, single (out).

adjective

Singled out in preference:

choice, chosen, exclusive, select.

noun

One that is selected:

choice, chosen, pick, select.

Translations

مُنْتَخَب، مُخْتاريَخْتاريَنْتَخِبيَنْتَخِبُ

volit

vælgedesignerettiltrædende

wählen zukünftig entscheiden küren

εκλέγω

elegir electo decidir designar

päättäätulevavalitavalita vaalillavastavalittu

élire élu opter adopter choisir

birati

megválaszt

kjósanÿkjörinn, verîandivelja, kjósa sér

eleggere eletta elezioni nominare nominato

選挙する

선출하다

apsispręstiišrinktasišrinktirinkėjųrinkimai

ievēlētievēlētsizvēlētiesvēlēts

verkiezen

velge

postanowić wybierać wybrać

eleger

выбирать избирать избрать

voliťzvolený

voliti

väljavald

คัดเลือก

seçmek karar vermek seçilmişseçimi kazanmış

bầutân cử

推选选举选定的选择

elect

[ɪˈlekt]

A. VT

1. (Pol etc) → elegir (to para) he was elected chairman → fue elegido presidente

2. (= choose) → elegir
he elected to remain → eligió quedarse

B. ADJ (after noun) → electo
the president elect → el/la presidente/a electo/a

C. N the elect → los elegidos, los predestinados

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

elect

[ɪˈlɛkt]

(by voting) → élire
to elect sb as sth, to elect sb sth → élire qn qch
to be elected sth [+ leader, principal] → être élu(e) qch

(= choose) to elect to do sth → choisir de faire qch

adj → désigné(e)
the president elect → le futur président

elect

(by vote) → wählen; he was elected chairman/MP → er wurde zum Vorsitzenden/Abgeordneten gewählt; to elect somebody to the Senate → jdn in den Senat wählen

(= choose) → (er)wählen, sich entscheiden für; to elect to do something → sich dafür entscheiden, etw zu tun; to elect French nationality → sich für die französische Staatsangehörigkeit entscheiden

adj the president elect → der designierte or künftige Präsident

pl (esp Rel) the elect → die Auserwählten pl

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

elect

[ɪˈlɛkt]

1. vt

a. (Pol) to elect (to) → eleggere (a)
he was elected chairman → è stato eletto presidente

b. to elect to do (decide) → decidere or scegliere di fare
he elected to remain → ha deciso di restare

2. adj → futuro/a
the president elect → il presidente designato

elect

(iˈlekt) verb

1. to choose by vote. He was elected chairman; elected to the committee.

2. to choose (to do something). They elected to go by taxi.

adjective

(placed immediately after noun) chosen for office but not yet in it. the president elect.

eˈlection (-ʃən) noun

the choosing, or choice, (usually by vote) of person(s) for office. When do the elections take place?; He is standing for election again.

eˌlectioˈneer (-ʃə-) verb

to work to bring about the election of a candidate.

eˈlector noun

a person who has the right to vote at an election. Not all the electors bothered to vote.

eˈlectoral adjective

of elections or electors. The names of all electors are listed in the electoral roll.

eˈlectorate (-rət) noun

all electors taken together. Half of the electorate did not vote.

elect

→ يَنْتَخِبُ volit vælge wählen εκλέγω elegir valita vaalilla élire birati eleggere 選挙する 선출하다 verkiezen velge wybrać eleger избирать välja คัดเลือก seçmek bầu 推选

elect

vt. elegir, escoger.

References in classic literature ?

The same principle prevails also in the choice of their senate; the manner of electing which is favourable also to an oligarchy; for all are obliged to vote for those who are senators of the first class, afterwards they vote for the same number out of the second, and then out of the third; but this compulsion to vote at the election of senators does not extend to the third and fourth classes and the first and second class only are obliged to vote for the fourth.

There will also great danger arise from the manner of electing the senate, when those who are elected themselves are afterwards to elect others; for by this means, if a certain number choose to combine together, though not very considerable, the election will always fall according to their pleasure.

View in context

GUJRANWALA/KHANEWAL/WAZIRABAD/ OKARA/HAFIZABAD/ATTOCK/SIALKOT/ SARGODHA/TOBA TEK SINGH -- The annual elections of district and tehsil bar associations concluded across Punjab with all bars electing their new office-bearers for 2019-20.

Bar elections conclude across Punjab

Ghulam Qadir expressed his profound gratitude to the members of AJK Legislative Assembly for electing him as Speaker of the newly-elected Azad Jammu Kashmir Legislative Assembly.

Shah Ghulam Qadir; Sardar Farooq Tahir elected as Speaker, Deputy Speaker of AJK LA

Special audit provisions apply to electing large partnerships or limited liability companies (LLCs).

Audits of electing large LLCs

In primary elections and caucuses, whom are voters actually electing?

Campaign countdown: road to the White House

Since the article didn't attempt to answer the very question it poses, I will offer that there is one such brave man worthy of electing: Libertarian candidate for president, Michael Badnarik.

"Whom do we elect?"

Also, the final regulations simplify the filing requirements of an electing trust, as well as the procedures for furnishing a taxpayer identification number to payors.

Trust treatment: final regs issued on election to treat revocable trusts as part of estate

MTNA members will be electing Division officers and directors beginning in February 2004.

Division candidates. (MTNA)

HR 2545 would lift the 1967 federal law that mandates one seat per congressional district, allowing states the option of electing their congressional delegation by multiseat proportional representation.

McKinney's gambit: will proportional representation bring down the House?

In addition to electing the fixed-numberof-years method, the IRA owner also can enter into a separate agreement with the IRA custodian providing for certain taxplanning deferral arrangements that do not violate the required minimum distribution rules of section 401(a)(9).

Planning for individual retirement accounts

In TEI's view, the proposed regulations adequately address the principal issues impeding taxpayers from electing DASTM for operations in hyperinflationary economies.