Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Poll \Poll\, n. [From Polly, The proper name.]
   A parrot; -- familiarly so called.

Poll \Poll\, n. [Gr. ? the many, the rabble.]
   One who does not try for honors, but is content to take a
   degree merely; a passman. [Cambridge Univ., Eng.]

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.

Poll \Poll\, n. [Akin to LG. polle the head, the crest of a
   bird, the top of a tree, OD. pol, polle, Dan. puld the crown
   of a hat.]
   1. The head; the back part of the head. ``All flaxen was his
      poll.'' --Shak.

   2. A number or aggregate of heads; a list or register of
      heads or individuals.

            We are the greater poll, and in true fear They gave
            us our demands.                       --Shak.

            The muster file, rotten and sound, upon my life,
            amounts not to fifteen thousand poll. --Shak.

   3. Specifically, the register of the names of electors who
      may vote in an election.

   4. The casting or recording of the votes of registered
      electors; as, the close of the poll.

            All soldiers quartered in place are to remove . . .
            and not to return till one day after the poll is
            ended.                                --Blackstone.

   5. pl. The place where the votes are cast or recorded; as, to
      go to the polls.

   6. The broad end of a hammer; the but of an ax.

   7. (Zo["o]l.) The European chub. See {Pollard}, 3
      (a) .

   {Poll book}, a register of persons entitled to vote at an
      election.

   {Poll evil} (Far.), an inflammatory swelling or abscess on a
      horse's head, confined beneath the great ligament of the
      neck.

   {Poll pick} (Mining), a pole having a heavy spike on the end,
      forming a kind of crowbar.

   {Poll tax}, a tax levied by the head, or poll; a capitation
      tax.

Poll \Poll\, v. i.
   To vote at an election. --Beaconsfield.

Source : WordNet®

poll
     n 1: an inquiry into public opinion conducted by interviewing a
          random sample of people [syn: {opinion poll}, {public
          opinion poll}, {canvass}]
     2: the top of the head [syn: {pate}, {crown}]
     3: the part of the head between the ears
     4: a tame parrot [syn: {poll parrot}]
     5: the counting of votes (as in an election)

poll
     v 1: get the opinions (of people) by asking specific questions
          [syn: {canvass}, {canvas}]
     2: vote in an election at a polling station
     3: get the votes of
     4: convert into a pollard; "pollard trees" [syn: {pollard}]

Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

poll
     
        To check the status of an input line, sensor, or memory
        location to see if a particular external event has been
        registered.
     
        Contrast {interrupt}.
     
        [{Jargon File}]
     
        (1995-01-31)