Voice

Pronunciation

• IPA: /vɔɪs/
• Rhymes: -ɔɪs

Alternative forms

• voyce archaic

Origin

From Middle English vois, from Anglo-Norman voiz, voys, voice, Old French vois, voiz (Modern French voix), from Latin vōcem, accusative form of Latin vōx ("voice"), from Proto-Indo-European *wek-, *wekʷ-, *wokʷ- ("to utter, speak"). Cognate with Sanskrit वच् ("to say, speak"), German erwähnen ("to mention"). Displaced native Middle English steven ("voice"), from Old English stefn (see steven), Middle English rouste ("voice") from Old Norse raust, and Middle English rearde ("voice") from Old English reord. Compare advocate, advowson, avouch, convoke, epic, vocal, vouch, vowel.

Full definition of voice

Noun

1. Sound uttered by the mouth, especially that uttered by human beings in speech or song; steven; sound thus uttered considered as possessing some special quality or character; as, the human voice; a pleasant voice; a low voice.He with a manly voice saith his message. — Geoffrey ChaucerHer voice was ever soft, Gentle, and low; an excellent thing in woman. — Shakespeare, King Lear, V-iiiThy voice is music. — Shakespeare, Henry V, V-iiJoin thy voice unto the angel choir. — John Milton
• 2011, April 10, Alistair Magowan, Aston Villa 1 - 0 Newcastle, Villa chief executive Paul Faulkner had backed manager Houllier during the week and asked for the fans to get behind their team as they looked to steer themselves away from the relegation zone.
  To that end, the home supporters were in good voice to begin with, but it was Newcastle who started the game in the ascendancy, with Barton putting a diving header over the top from Jose Enrique's cross.
2. (phonetics) Sound of the kind or quality heard in speech or song in the consonants b, v, d, etc., and in the vowels; sonant, or intonated, utterance; tone; — distinguished from mere breath sound as heard in f, sg, sh, etc., and also whisper. EncyclopedicNote: Voice, in this sense, is produced by vibration of the vocal cords in the larynx which act upon the air, not in the manner of the strings of a stringed instrument, but as a pair of membranous tongues, or reeds, which, being continually forced apart by the outgoing current of breath, and continually brought together again by their own elasticity and muscular tension, break the breath current into a series of puffs, or pulses, sufficiently rapid to cause the sensation of tone. The power, or loudness, of such a tone depends on the force of the separate pulses, and this is determined by the pressure of the expired air, together with the resistance on the part of the vocal cords which is continually overcome. Its pitch depends on the number of aërial pulses within a given time, that is, on the rapidity of their succession.
3. The tone or sound emitted by anythingAfter the fire a still small voice. — 1 Kings 19:12Canst thou thunder with a voice like him? — Job 40:9The floods have lifted up their voice. — ''Psalms 93:3O Marcus, I am warm’d; my heart Leaps at the trumpet’s voice. — Joseph Addison
4. The faculty or power of utterance; as, to cultivate the voice
5. Language; words; speech; expression; signification of feeling or opinionI desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you. — ''Galatians 4:20My voice is in my sword. — Shakespeare, Macbeth, V-viiLet us call on God in the voice of his church. — Bp. Fell
6. Opinion or choice expressed; judgment; a vote.Sicinius. How now, my masters! have you chose this man?
   1st Citizen. He has our voices, sir. — Shakespeare, Coriolanus, II-iiiSome laws ordain, and some attend the choice
   Of holy senates, and elect by voice. — John Dryden
7. Command; precept; — now chiefly used in scriptural language.So shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God. — Deuteronomy 8:20
8. One who speaks; a speaker.A potent voice of Parliament. — Alfred Tennyson
9. (grammar) A particular mode of inflecting or conjugating verbs, or a particular form of a verb, by means of which is indicated the relation of the subject of the verb to the action which the verb expresses.
10. (music) In harmony, an independent vocal or instrumental part in a piece of composition.The theme of this piece constantly migrates between the three voice parts.
11. (Internet, IRC) A flag associated with a user on a channel, determining whether or not they can send messages to the channel.

Synonyms

• (sound of human speech) steven, reard
• (opinion) steven, vote, say-so

Derived terms

Verb

1. (transitive) To give utterance or expression to; to utter; to publish; to announce; to divulge; as, to voice the sentiments of the nation.Rather assume thy right in silence and . . . then voice it with claims and challenges. — Francis BaconIt was voiced that the king purposed to put to death Edward Plantagenet. — Francis Bacon
2. (transitive, phonology) To utter with sonant or vocal tone; to pronounce with a narrowed glottis and rapid vibrations of the vocal cords; to speak above a whisper.
3. (transitive) To fit for producing the proper sounds; to regulate the tone of; as, to voice the pipes of an organ.
4. (transitive, obsolete) To vote; to elect; to appoint — Shakespeare
5. (intransitive, obsolete) To clamor; to cry out, to steven — South
6. (transitive, Internet) To assign the voice flag to a user on IRC, permitting them to send messages to the channel.
7. (television, film) To act as a voice actor to portray a character.
• 2012, April 26, Tasha Robinson, Film: Reviews: The Pirates! Band Of Misfits :, The openly ridiculous plot has The Pirate Captain (Hugh Grant) scheming to win the Pirate Of The Year competition, even though he’s a terrible pirate, far outclassed by rivals voiced by Jeremy Piven and Salma Hayek.

Related terms