majority
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++ma·jor·i·ty /məˈdʒɒrəti $ məˈdʒɔː-, məˈdʒɑː-/ ●●● S2 W1 AWL noun (plural majorities) 1 most people or things 大多数人或物 [singular]MOST most of the people or things in a group 多数，大多数〔人或物〕 OPP minoritymajority of The majority of workers find it quite hard to live on the amount of money they earn. 大多数职工都觉得很难靠他们挣的那点钱生活。great/vast/overwhelming majority of something (=almost all of a group) 某事物的绝大多数 In the vast majority of cases the disease is fatal. 这种疾病绝大多数病例都是致命的。be in the majority (=form the largest group) 占多数 In this city, Muslims are in the majority. 在这个城市里穆斯林占多数。 → silent majority5 REGISTER 语体In everyday English, people usually say most (of) rather than the majority of . 在日常英语中，人们一般说most (of)，而不说the majority ofMost workers find it hard to live on the money they earn.大多数职工都觉得很难靠他们挣的那点钱生活。Most of us agreed with him.我们大部分人都同意他的观点。5 GRAMMAR 语法• When using majority before ‘of’ and a plural noun, use a plural verb after it. 使用“ majority + of + 复数名词”的形式时，其后要用复数动词The vast majority of patients are elderly.绝大多数患者是老年人。n GRAMMAR: 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. 绝大多数患者是老年人。• 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.2 most votes 多数票 [countable]PPV if one person or group wins a majority in an election, they win more votes than other people or groups 领先多数，多数票majority of 50/100 etc He won by a majority of 500. 他以500票的多数票获胜。 The Labour Party won a huge majority at the last general election. 工党在上次大选中以巨大的票数优势获胜。clear/overall/absolute majority (=a situation in which one party wins more votes in an election than all the other parties) 绝对多数票 The party won an absolute majority in Portugal in 1987. 1987年该党在葡萄牙获得了绝对多数票。small/narrow majority The government gained only a narrow majority, with 151 votes against 144. 该政府只获得了151票对144票的微弱优势。Labour/Conservative etc majority The Labour majority was reduced to just 15 seats at the last election. 上届选举中工党的优势削弱到仅仅15个席位。3 majority vote/decision/verdict etc a vote or decision in which more people vote for something than vote against it 多数票/多数决定/多数裁决等4 majority 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 多数股份5 becoming an adult 成年 [uncountable] British English lawSCL the age when someone legally becomes an adult 〔法定的〕成年年龄 OPP minorityn COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 2: if one person or group wins a majority in an election, they win more votes than other people or groupsverbshave/hold a majorityThe Democratic party has a majority in the Senate.win a majorityThe Conservative Party won a large majority.secure a majority (=win a majority)They failed to secure a majority.get/gain/receive a majorityIf 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 majorityThe 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 majorityParliament 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 majorityTheir 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 majorityA two-thirds majority in both Houses of Congress is needed to overturn a presidential veto.a Labour/Democratic/Tory etc majorityRepublican 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 voteThe 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
Examples from the Corpus
majority• Since 1879, House rules have required a majority of those voting for a distinct candidate to elect a speaker.• The Labour candidate advocating a pacifist programme, reversed a large Conservative majority in a seat never before held by Labour.• 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.• That convention needed a consensus, while the London Dumping Convention adopts its resolutions by a two-thirds majority.• Meanwhile, the Senate voted but failed to get a two-thirds majority on the balanced budget and flag desecration amendments.• A two-thirds majority is needed to override a veto.• The vast majority of children do attend school for all or part of the primary school cycle.be in the majority• The number of women on the committee has grown steadily and now they are in the majority.• In terms of space, in other words, they are in the majority.• Each tribe claims to be in the majority.• It is a fact that women are in the majority in many of our Church organisations.Labour/Conservative etc majority• The hectic schedule ended in Cheltenham, where the Liberal democrats hope to overturn a Conservative majority of just under 5,000.• In a town with a Conservative majority of just 2,661, the personal charm and persuasion of each candidate will be crucial.• The Labour candidate advocating a pacifist programme, reversed a large Conservative majority in a seat never before held by Labour.• There's competition but also consensus of view: a lower Labour majority next time and a Tory advance.• 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.• Many people suspended judgement and throughout the West Midlands reduced polls saw Conservative majorities cut.From Longman Business Dictionarymajorityma‧jor‧i‧ty1 /məˈdʒɒrətiməˈdʒɔː-, məˈdʒɑː-/ noun (plural majorities)1[singular] most of the people or things in a particular groupSome franchisees quit, but the majority are still hanging on.majority ofThe majority of successful entrepreneurs have a clear mission statement.The vast majority of new radio shows fail in their first season on the air.2[countable] the difference between the number of votes gained by the winning party or person in an election and the number of votes gained by the other parties or peopleNo single party is likely to win a majority.3[uncountable]LAW the age at which someone legally becomes a responsible adultThe Family Law Reform Act 1969 reduced the age of majority to 18.majoritymajority2 adjective [only before a noun]FINANCE used to say that a someone owns more than half the shares in a companyIt will hold a majority stake in the new company.The group said it did not plan to take majority control of the investment company.the bank’s majority shareholderOrigin majority (1500-1600) French majorité, from Latin major; → MAJOR1ma·jor·i·ty noun →5 GRAMMAR1 →n GRAMMAR2
→5 REGISTER1 →n COLLOCATIONS1LDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable
→5 REGISTER1 →n COLLOCATIONS1LDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable
group Corpus in of the or Business most a people things
majority
ma‧jor‧i‧ty S2 W1 AC /məˈdʒɒrəti, məˈdʒɒrɪti $ məˈdʒɔː-, məˈdʒɑː-/
noun (plural majorities)1. MOST PEOPLE OR THINGS [singular, also + plural verb] most of the people or things in a group
OPP minority
majority of
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 majority
GRAMMAR
When using majority before 'of' and a plural noun, use a plural verb after it:
▪The vast majority of patients are elderly.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say most (of) rather than the majority of:
▪Most workers find it hard to live on the money they earn.
▪Most of us agreed with him.
2. MOST VOTES [countable] if one person or group wins a majority in an election, they win more votes than other people or groups
majority 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.
3. majority 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.
4. majority 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.
5. BECOMING AN ADULT [uncountable] British English law the age when someone legally becomes an adult
OPP minority
reach majority/the age of majority
He became a partner in the family firm on reaching his majority.
■ verbs
▪have/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 + majority
▪a 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 + NOUN
▪a 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
ma‧jor‧i‧ty S2 W1 AC /məˈdʒɒrəti, məˈdʒɒrɪti $ məˈdʒɔː-, məˈdʒɑː-/
noun (plural majorities)1. MOST PEOPLE OR THINGS [singular, also + plural verb] most of the people or things in a group OPP minority
majority of
great/vast/overwhelming majority of something (=almost all of a group)
be in the majority (=form the largest group)
GRAMMAR
When using majority before 'of' and a plural noun, use a plural verb after it:
▪
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say most (of) rather than the majority of:
▪
▪
2. MOST VOTES [countable] if one person or group wins a majority in an election, they win more votes than other people or groups
majority of 50/100 etc
clear/overall/absolute majority (=a situation in which one party wins more votes in an election than all the other parties)
small/narrow majority
Labour/Conservative etc majority
3. majority vote/decision/verdict etc a vote or decision in which more people vote for something than vote against it:
4. majority 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:
5. BECOMING AN ADULT [uncountable] British English law the age when someone legally becomes an adult
OPP minority
reach majority/the age of majority
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Running for election 参加选举
conduct/hold an election/a referendum举行选举／全民公决 ( especially
NAmE run for office/election/governor/mayor/president/the White House竞选公职；参加竞选；竞选州长／市长／总统／美国总统 ( especially
BrE stand for election/office/Parliament/the Labour Party/a second term参加竞选；竞选公职／议会议员；当工党候选人；竞选连任 hold/call/contest a general/national election举行／要求／角逐大选／全国选举 launch/run a presidential election campaign开始总统竞选活动 support/back a candidate支持候选人 sway/convince/persuade voters/the electorate说服选民／全体选民 appeal to/attract/woo/target ( swing voters/NAmE ( floating votersBrE 吸引游离选民；寻求游离选民的支持；瞄准游离选民 fix/rig/steal an election/the vote操纵选举；暗中舞弊获取选票
Voting 投票
go to/be turned away from ( a polling station/especially
BrE ( a polling placeNAmE 去／被拒绝进入投票站投票 cast a/your vote/ballot (for sb)投（某人）一票 vote for the Conservative candidate/the Democratic party投票给保守党候选人／民主党 mark/spoil your ballot paper在选票上做标记；投废票 count ( the postal votes/BrE ( the absentee ballotsespecially
NAmE 清点邮寄选票数 go to/be defeated at the ballot box去投票箱投票；竞选失败 get/win/receive/lose votes赢得／失去选票 get/win (60% of) the popular/black/Hispanic/Latino/Muslim vote赢得大众／黑人／拉美裔／穆斯林 (60%) 的选票 win the election/(in the US ) the primaries/a seat in Parliament/a majority/power赢得大选／（美国的）初选／议会中的一个席位／多数票／权力 lose an election/the vote/your majority/your seat在选举中失败；失去多数人的支持／席位 win/come to power in a landslide (victory) (= with many more votes than any other party)以压倒多数的选票获胜／掌权 elect/re-elect sb (as) mayor/president/an MP/senator/congressman/congresswoman选举／再度选举某人为市长／总统／议员／参议员／国会议员／国会女议员
Taking power 掌权
be sworn into office/in as president宣誓就职／就任总统 take/administer (in the US ) the oath of office（美国）宣誓就职；听取就职宣誓 swear/take (in the UK ) an/the oath of allegiance（英国）宣誓效忠 give/deliver (in the US ) the president's inaugural address发表（美国）总统就职演说 take/enter/hold/leave office就职；任职；离职 appoint sb (as) ambassador/governor/judge/minister任命某人为大使／州长／法官／部长 form a government/a cabinet组建政府／内阁 serve two terms as prime minister/in office任两届总理；两届任职