Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Poll \Poll\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Polled}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Polling}.]
1. To remove the poll or head of; hence, to remove the top or
end of; to clip; to lop; to shear; as, to poll the head;
to poll a tree.
When he [Absalom] pollled his head. --2 Sam. xiv.
26.
His death did so grieve them that they polled
themselves; they clipped off their horse and mule's
hairs. --Sir T.
North.
2. To cut off; to remove by clipping, shearing, etc.; to mow
or crop; -- sometimes with off; as, to poll the hair; to
poll wool; to poll grass.
Who, as he polled off his dart's head, so sure he
had decreed That all the counsels of their war he
would poll off like it. --Chapman.
3. To extort from; to plunder; to strip. [Obs.]
Which polls and pills the poor in piteous wise.
--Spenser.
4. To impose a tax upon. [Obs.]
5. To pay as one's personal tax.
The man that polled but twelve pence for his head.
--Dryden.
6. To enter, as polls or persons, in a list or register; to
enroll, esp. for purposes of taxation; to enumerate one by
one.
Polling the reformed churches whether they equalize
in number those of his three kingdoms. --Milton.
7. To register or deposit, as a vote; to elicit or call
forth, as votes or voters; as, he polled a hundred votes
more than his opponent.
And poll for points of faith his trusty vote.
--Tickell.
8. (Law) To cut or shave smooth or even; to cut in a straight
line without indentation; as, a polled deed. See {Dee?
poll}. --Burrill.
Polled \Polled\, a.
Deprived of a poll, or of something belonging to the poll.
Specifically:
(a) Lopped; -- said of trees having their tops cut off.
(b) Cropped; hence, bald; -- said of a person. ``The polled
bachelor.'' --Beau. & Fl.
(c) Having cast the antlers; -- said of a stag.
(d) Without horns; as, polled cattle; polled sheep.