Crossword Dictionary

veto

veto - n 
a vote that blocks a decision 
the power or right to prohibit or reject a proposed or intended act (especially the power of a chief executive to reject a bill passed by the legislature)

Wordplays

The word “veto” means “I forbid” in Latin. In the United States, Article I, Section 7 of the Constitution gives the president the authority to reject legislation that has been passed by both houses of Congress, though the word “veto” doesn’t actually appear in the Constitution.

Congress can override a presidential veto with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, but this is very difficult to achieve. Even the threat of a veto allows the president to influence debate on legislation in Congress before a bill is passed, and pressure legislators to make changes to a bill to avoid the veto.