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n. 1. a. The sound produced by the vocal organs of a vertebrate, especially a human. b. The ability to produce such sounds: He has laryngitis and has lost his voice. c. The mind as it produces verbal thoughts: listening to the voice within. 2. A specified quality, condition, or pitch of vocal sound: a hoarse voice; the announcer's booming voice. 3. Linguistics Expiration of air through vibrating vocal cords, used in the production of vowels and voiced consonants. 4. A sound resembling or reminiscent of vocal utterance: the murmuring voice of the forest. 5. Music a. Musical sound produced by vibration of the human vocal cords and resonated within the throat and head cavities. b. The quality or condition of a person's singing: a baritone in excellent voice. c. A singer: a choir of excellent voices. d. One of the individual vocal or instrumental parts or strands in a composition: a fugue for four voices; string voices carrying the melody. Also called voice part. 6. a. Expression; utterance: gave voice to their feelings at the meeting. b. A medium or agency of expression: a newsletter that serves as a neighborhood voice. c. The right or opportunity to express a choice or opinion: a territory that has a voice, but not a vote, in Congress. 7. Grammar A property of verbs or a set of verb inflections indicating the relation between the subject and the action expressed by the verb: "Birds build nests" uses the active voice; "nests built by birds" uses the passive voice. Also called diathesis. 8. The distinctive style or manner of expression of an author or of a character in a book. tr.v. voiced, voic·ing, voic·es Idioms: 1. To give expression to; utter: voice a grievance. 2. Linguistics To pronounce with vibration of the vocal cords. 3. Music a. To provide (a composition) with voice parts. b. To regulate the tone of (the pipes of an organ, for example). 4. To provide the voice for (a cartoon character or show, for example): The animated series was voiced by famous actors. at the top of (one's) voice As loudly as one's voice will allow. with one voice In complete agreement; unanimously. [Middle English, from Old French vois, from Latin vōx, vōc-; see wekw- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] Synonyms: voice, express, air, vent1 These verbs mean to give outlet to thoughts or emotions. Voice denotes the verbal expression of an outlook or viewpoint: The lawyer voiced her satisfaction with the verdict. Express, a more comprehensive term, refers to both verbal and nonverbal communication: found the precise words to express her idea; expressed his affection with a hug. To air is to make one's feelings, beliefs, or ideas known to others: They aired their differences during dinner. To vent is to unburden oneself of a strong pent-up emotion: The candidate vented her frustrations over her opponent's unfair attacks. |
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