RUBBER STAMP Definition & Meaning

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rubber stamp

noun

a device with a rubber printing surface that becomes coated with ink by being pressed on an ink-saturated pad, used for imprinting dates, addresses, standard designations or notices, etc., by hand.
a person or government agency that gives approval automatically or routinely.
such approval.

rubber-stamp

[ ruhb-er-stamp ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

verb (used with object)

to imprint with a rubber stamp.
to give approval automatically or without consideration:
to rubber-stamp the president's proposals.

adjective

tending to give approval automatically or without due consideration:
a rubber-stamp Congress that passed all the president's bills.

rubber stamp

noun

a device used for imprinting dates or commonly used phrases on forms, invoices, etc
automatic authorization of a payment, proposal, etc, without challenge
a person who makes such automatic authorizations; a cipher or person of little account

verb

to imprint (forms, invoices, etc) with a rubber stamp
informal.
to approve automatically

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of rubber stamp¹

First recorded in 1885–90

Origin of rubber stamp²

First recorded in 1915–20; v. use of rubber stamp

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Idioms and Phrases

A person or organization that automatically approves or endorses a policy without assessing its merit; also, such an approval or endorsement. For example, The nominating committee is merely a rubber stamp; they approve anyone the chairman names , or The dean gave his rubber stamp to the recommendations of the tenure committee . This metaphoric term alludes to the rubber printing device used to imprint the same words over and over. [Early 1900s]

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Since the disputed parliamentary election, criticised by international observers, the Georgian opposition has been boycotting the parliament, leaving the ruling Georgian Dream to rubber stamp any proposed changes to law.

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When she’s not writing, you can find her exploring museums and restaurants around Southern California, collecting rubber stamps and doing crossword puzzles.

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But per the Times, Paramount executives want a clean slate with the Trump administration as the company finalizes a merger with Skydance, for which it will need a rubber stamp from Trump’s Federal Communications Commission.

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But a federal judge put the plea deal on hold last year, saying she did not want to “rubber stamp” an unorthodox and complex agreement that was reached without her input.

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The president-elect already has done so with some grotesque Cabinet choices, preceded by his anticonstitutional demand that senators forfeit their “advice and consent” power and instead be rubber stamps.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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