catflap.org Online Dictionary Query

  Veto \Ve"to\, n.; pl. Vetoes. [L. veto I forbid.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. An authoritative prohibition or negative; a forbidding; an
        interdiction.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              This contemptuous veto of her husband's on any
              intimacy with her family.             --G. Eliot.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Specifically: 
        [1913 Webster]
        (a) A power or right possessed by one department of
            government to forbid or prohibit the carrying out of
            projects attempted by another department; especially,
            in a constitutional government, a power vested in the
            chief executive to prevent the enactment of measures
            passed by the legislature. Such a power may be
            absolute, as in the case of the Tribunes of the People
            in ancient Rome, or limited, as in the case of the
            President of the United States. Called also the veto
            power.
            [1913 Webster]
        (b) The exercise of such authority; an act of prohibition
            or prevention; as, a veto is probable if the bill
            passes.
            [1913 Webster]
        (c) A document or message communicating the reasons of the
            executive for not officially approving a proposed law;
            -- called also veto message. [U. S.]
            [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: Veto is not a term employed in the Federal
           Constitution, but seems to be of popular use only.
           --Abbott.
           [1913 Webster]

  Veto \Ve"to\, n.; pl. Vetoes. [L. veto I forbid.]
     1. An authoritative prohibition or negative; a forbidding; an
        interdiction.
  
              This contemptuous veto of her husband's on any
              intimacy with her family.             --G. Eliot.
  
     2. Specifically:
        (a) A power or right possessed by one department of
            government to forbid or prohibit the carrying out of
            projects attempted by another department; especially,
            in a constitutional government, a power vested in the
            chief executive to prevent the enactment of measures
            passed by the legislature. Such a power may be
            absolute, as in the case of the Tribunes of the People
            in ancient Rome, or limited, as in the case of the
            President of the United States. Called also the veto
            power.
        (b) The exercise of such authority; an act of prohibition
            or prevention; as, a veto is probable if the bill
            passes.
        (c) A document or message communicating the reasons of the
            executive for not officially approving a proposed law;
            -- called also veto message. [U. S.]
  
     Note: Veto is not a term employed in the Federal
           Constitution, but seems to be of popular use only.
           --Abbott.