caucus

plural caucuses · plural caucusses

1. CanadaIsraelPakistanSouth AfricaUSZimbabwearchaicA usually preliminary meeting of party members to nominate candidates for public office or delegates to be sent to a nominating convention, or to confer regarding policy.

   He conferred with Mr. Warren of Plymouth upon the necessity of giving into spirited measures, and then said, "Do you keep the committee in play, and I will go and make a caucus against the evening; and do you meet me."

   1788, William Gordon, The History of the Rise, Progress, and Establishment, of the Independence of the United States of America

2. CanadaIsraelPakistanSouth AfricaUSZimbabwearchaicA grouping of all the members of a legislature from the same party.

   Synonyms: parliamentary group

3. CanadaIsraelPakistanSouth AfricaUSZimbabwearchaicA political interest group by members of a legislative body.

present singular third person caucuses · present singular third person caucusses · participle present caucusing · participle present caucussing · participle past caucused · past caucused · participle past caucussed · past caucussed

1. CanadaIsraelPakistanSouth AfricaUSZimbabwearchaicTo meet and participate in a caucus.

   The diehard Republicans of Kansas caucused today and delivered a big victory for Mike Huckabee, McCain's remaining serious challenger.

   2008 February 9, Richard Adams, “Huckabee wins Kansas!”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

   3 more examples

   Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut said yesterday that he will caucus with Senate Democrats in the new Congress, but he would not rule out switching to the Republican caucus if he starts to feel uncomfortable among Democrats.

   2006 November 13, “Lieberman won't rule out GOP caucusing”, in Boston Globe, sourced from Associated Press, archived from the original on 28 Nov 2006

   Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Doug Jones of Alabama and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona voted with Republicans against the measure, as did Sen. Angus King of Maine, an Independent who caucuses with the Democrats.

   2019 March 26, Rebecca Shabad, Dartunorro Clark, “Senate fails to advance Green New Deal as Democrats protest McConnell 'sham vote'”, in NBC news

   Guardian Australia understands the Liberal states have caucused, and they want the newly elected Morrison government to reboot the Neg, or something very like it.

   2019 June 21, Katharine Murphy, “Australia's energy future: the real power is not where you’d think”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

2. CanadaIsraelPakistanSouth AfricaUSZimbabwearchaicbroadlyinformalintransitiveTo confer.

   The protesters caucused nearby to discuss demands.

   1980 December 27, John Zeh, “Cincy Activists Protest Store's Violent Sex Wares”, in Gay Community News, volume 8, number 23, page 6

3. CanadaIsraelPakistanSouth AfricaUSZimbabwearchaictransitiveTo bring into or treat in a caucus.

   Although journalists from the private media were barred from entering the hall, different districts caucused the meeting, discussing the voting centres and other logistics.

   2017 May 6, Tatenda Chitagu, “Zanu PF to stage one-man chairmanship polls”, in NewsDay Zimbabwe, archived from the original on 19 Dec 2020