the sound or sounds uttered through the mouth of living creatures, esp. of human beings in speaking, shouting, singing, etc.
2.
the faculty or power of uttering sounds through the mouth by the controlled expulsion of air; speech: to lose one's voice.
3.
a range of such sounds distinctive to one person, or to a type of person or animal: Her voice is commanding.
4.
the condition or effectiveness of the voice for speaking or singing: to be in poor voice.
5.
a sound likened to or resembling vocal utterance: the voice of the wind.
6.
something likened to speech as conveying impressions to the mind: the voice of nature.
7.
expression in spoken or written words, or by other means: to give voice to one's disapproval by a letter.
8.
the right to present and receive consideration of one's desires or opinions: We were given no voice in the election.
9.
an expressed opinion or choice: a voice for compromise.
10.
an expressed will or desire: the voice of the people.
11.
expressed wish or injunction: obedient to the voice of God.
12.
the person or other agency through which something is expressed or revealed: a warning that proved to be the voice of prophecy.
13.
a singer: one of our best voices.
14.
a voice part: a score for piano and voice.
15.
Phonetics. the audible result of phonation and resonance.
16.
Grammar.
a.
a set of categories for which the verb is inflected in some languages, as Latin, and which is typically used to indicate the relation of the verbal action to the subject as performer, undergoer, or beneficiary of its action.
b.
a set of syntactic devices in some languages, as English, that is similar to this set in function.
c.
any of the categories of these sets: the English passive voice; the Greek middle voice.
17.
the finer regulation, as of intensity and color, in tuning, esp. of a piano or organ.
–verb (used with object)
18.
to give utterance or expression to; declare; proclaim: to voice one's discontent.
19.
Music.
a.
to regulate the tone of, as the pipes of an organ.
b.
to write the voice parts for (music).
20.
to utter with the voice.
21.
Phonetics. to pronounce with glottal vibration.
22.
to interpret from sign language into spoken language.
–adjective
23.
Computers. of or pertaining to the use of human or synthesized speech: voice-data entry; voice output.
24.
Telecommunications. of or pertaining to the transmission of speech or data over media designed for the transmission of speech: voice-grade channel; voice-data network.
—Idioms
25.
the still, small voice, the conscience: He was only occasionally troubled by the still, small voice.
26.
with one voice, in accord; unanimously: They arose and with one voice acclaimed the new president.
[Origin: 1250–1300; ME (n.) < AF voiz, voice (OF voiz, vois) < L vōcem, acc. of vōx; akin to vocāre to call, Gk óps voice, épos word (see epic), Skt vakti (he) speaks]
The sound produced by the vocal organs of a vertebrate, especially a human.
The ability to produce such sounds.
Musical sound produced by vibration of the human vocal cords and resonated within the throat and head cavities.
The quality or condition of a person's singing: a baritone in excellent voice.
A singer: a choir of excellent voices.
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.
Expression; utterance: gave voice to their feelings at the meeting.
A medium or agency of expression: a newsletter that serves as a neighborhood voice.
The right or opportunity to express a choice or opinion: a territory that has a voice, but not a vote, in Congress.
A specified quality, condition, or pitch of vocal sound: a hoarse voice; the child's piping voice.
Linguistics Expiration of air through vibrating vocal cords, used in the production of vowels and voiced consonants.
A sound resembling or reminiscent of vocal utterance: the murmuring voice of the forest.
Music
Musical sound produced by vibration of the human vocal cords and resonated within the throat and head cavities.
The quality or condition of a person's singing: a baritone in excellent voice.
A singer: a choir of excellent voices.
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.
Expression; utterance: gave voice to their feelings at the meeting.
A medium or agency of expression: a newsletter that serves as a neighborhood voice.
The right or opportunity to express a choice or opinion: a territory that has a voice, but not a vote, in Congress.
Expression; utterance: gave voice to their feelings at the meeting.
A medium or agency of expression: a newsletter that serves as a neighborhood voice.
The right or opportunity to express a choice or opinion: a territory that has a voice, but not a vote, in Congress.
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.
The distinctive style or manner of expression of an author or of a character in a book.
tr.v.
voiced, voic·ing, voic·es
To give voice to; utter: voice a grievance. See Synonyms at vent1.
Linguistics To pronounce with vibration of the vocal cords.
Music
To provide (a composition) with voice parts.
To regulate the tone of (the pipes of an organ, for example).
To provide the voice for (a cartoon character or show, for example): The animated series was voiced by famous actors.
[Middle English, from Old French vois, from Latin vōx, vōc-; see wekw- in Indo-European roots.]
c.1290, "sound made by the human mouth," from O.Fr. voiz, from L. vocem (nom. vox) "voice, sound, utterance, cry, call, speech, sentence, language, word," related to vocare "to call," from PIE base *wek- "give vocal utterance, speak" (cf. Skt. vakti "speaks, says," vacas- "word;" Avestan vac- "speak, say;" Gk. aor. eipon "spoke, said," epos "word;" O.Prus. wackis "cry;" Ger. er-wähnen "to mention"). Replaced O.E. stefn. Meaning "ability in a singer" is first attested 1607. Verb meaning "to express" (a feeling, opinion, etc.) first attested 1607. The noun in this sense (in ref. to groups of people, etc., e.g. Voice of America) is recorded from 1390.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech; "A shrill voice sounded behind us"
2.
the sound made by the vibration of vocal folds modified by the resonance of the vocal tract; "a singer takes good care of his voice"; "the giraffe cannot make any vocalizations"
3.
a sound suggestive of a vocal utterance; "the noisy voice of the waterfall"; "the incessant voices of the artillery"
4.
expressing in coherent verbal form; "the articulation of my feelings"; "I gave voice to my feelings" [syn: articulation]
5.
a means or agency by which something is expressed or communicated; "the voice of the law"; "the Times is not the voice of New York"; "conservatism has many voices"
6.
something suggestive of speech in being a medium of expression; "the wee small voice of conscience"; "the voice of experience"; "he said his voices told him to do it"
7.
(metonymy) a singer; "he wanted to hear trained voices sing it"
8.
an advocate who represents someone else's policy or purpose; "the meeting was attended by spokespersons for all the major organs of government" [syn: spokesperson]
9.
the ability to speak; "he lost his voice"
10.
(linguistics) the grammatical relation (active or passive) of the grammatical subject of a verb to the action that the verb denotes
11.
the melody carried by a particular voice or instrument in polyphonic music; "he tried to sing the tenor part" [syn: part]
the sounds from the mouth made in speaking or singing Example: He has a very deep voice; He spoke in a quiet/loud/angry/kind voice.
Arabic:
صَوْت
Chinese (Simplified):
嗓音, 声音
Chinese (Traditional):
嗓音, 聲音
Czech:
hlas
Danish:
stemme
Dutch:
stem
Estonian:
hääl
Finnish:
ääni
French:
voix
German:
die Stimme
Greek:
φωνή
Hungarian:
hang
Icelandic:
rödd, (mál)rómur
Indonesian:
suara
Italian:
voce
Japanese:
声
Korean:
목소리, 음성
Latvian:
balss
Lithuanian:
balsas
Norwegian:
stemme, røst, mål
Polish:
głos
Portuguese (Brazil):
voz
Portuguese (Portugal):
voz
Romanian:
voce
Russian:
голос
Slovak:
hlas
Slovenian:
glas
Spanish:
voz
Swedish:
röst, stämma
Turkish:
ses
voice2[vois]noun
the voice regarded as the means of expressing opinion Example: The voice of the people should not be ignored; the voice of reason/conscience
Arabic:
صَوْت، رأي، تَعْبير
Chinese (Simplified):
意见
Chinese (Traditional):
意見
Czech:
hlas
Danish:
stemme
Dutch:
stem
Estonian:
hääl
Finnish:
ääni
French:
voix
German:
die Stimme
Greek:
φωνή
Hungarian:
vélemény
Icelandic:
álit, vilji; (innri) rödd
Indonesian:
suara
Italian:
voce
Japanese:
意見
Korean:
(의견·이성 등의) 소리
Latvian:
balss
Lithuanian:
balsas
Norwegian:
folkeopinion; medbestemmelsesrett, stemme
Polish:
głos
Portuguese (Brazil):
voz
Portuguese (Portugal):
voz
Romanian:
voce
Russian:
мнение; голос
Slovak:
hlas
Slovenian:
glas
Spanish:
voz
Swedish:
röst
Turkish:
fikir, düşünce
voice1[vois]verb
to express (feelings etc) Example: He voiced the discontent of the whole group.
Arabic:
يُعَبِّر عن
Chinese (Simplified):
表达
Chinese (Traditional):
表達
Czech:
vyjádřit
Danish:
give udtryk for
Dutch:
uiten
Estonian:
väljendama
Finnish:
ilmaista
French:
exprimer
German:
Ausdruck geben
Greek:
εκφράζω, εξωτερικεύω
Hungarian:
kifejez, hangot ad (vminek)
Icelandic:
tjá, láta í ljós
Indonesian:
menyatakan
Italian:
dare voce*
Japanese:
言い表わす
Korean:
표현하다, 표명하다
Latvian:
izteikt (vārdos)
Lithuanian:
išreikšti
Norwegian:
gi uttrykk for, (la) komme til orde
Polish:
wyrazić
Portuguese (Brazil):
exprimir
Portuguese (Portugal):
dar voz
Romanian:
a exprima
Russian:
высказывать
Slovak:
vyjadriť, vysloviť (názor)
Slovenian:
izraziti
Spanish:
expresar
Swedish:
uttala, uttrycka
Turkish:
söylemek, ifade etmek
voice2[vois]verb
to produce the sound of (especially a consonant) with a vibration of the vocal cords as well as with the breath Example: `Th' should be voiced in `this' but not in `think'.
Main Entry: voice Pronunciation: 'vois Function: noun 1: sound produced by vertebrates by means of lungs, larynx, or syrinx; especially: sound so produced by human beings 2: the faculty of utterance :SPEECH
—voicetransitive verbvoiced; voic·ing
Ac"tive\, a. [F. actif, L. activus, fr. agere to act.]1. Having the power or quality of acting; causing change; communicating action or motion; acting; -- opposed to passive, that receives; as, certain active principles; the powers of the mind. 2. Quick in physical movement; of an agile and vigorous body; nimble; as, an active child or animal. Active and nervous was his gait. --Wordsworth. 3. In action; actually proceeding; working; in force; -- opposed to quiescent, dormant, or extinct; as, active laws; active hostilities; an active volcano. 4. Given to action; constantly engaged in action; energetic; diligent; busy; -- opposed to dull, sluggish, indolent, or inert; as, an active man of business; active mind; active zeal. 5. Requiring or implying action or exertion; -- opposed to sedentary or to tranquil; as, active employment or service; active scenes. 6. Given to action rather than contemplation; practical; operative; -- opposed to speculative or theoretical; as, an active rather than a speculative statesman. 7. Brisk; lively; as, an active demand for corn. 8. Implying or producing rapid action; as, an active disease; an active remedy. 9. (Gram.) (a) Applied to a form of the verb; -- opposed to passive. See Active voice, under Voice. (b) Applied to verbs which assert that the subject acts upon or affects something else; transitive. (c) Applied to all verbs that express action as distinct from mere existence or state. Active capital, Active wealth, money, or property that may readily be converted into money. Syn: Agile; alert; brisk; vigorous; nimble; lively; quick; sprightly; prompt; energetic.
Ep"ic\, a. [L. epicus, Gr. ?, from ? a word, speech, tale, song; akin to L. vox voice: cf. F. ['e]pique. See Voice.] Narrated in a grand style; pertaining to or designating a kind of narrative poem, usually called an heroic poem, in which real or fictitious events, usually the achievements of some hero, are narrated in an elevated style. The epic poem treats of one great, complex action, in a grand style and with fullness of detail. --T. Arnold.
E*quiv"o*cal\, a. [L. aequivocus: aequus equal + vox, vocis, word. See Equal, and Voice, and cf. Equivoque.]1. (Literally, called equally one thing or the other; hence:) Having two significations equally applicable; capable of double interpretation; of doubtful meaning; ambiguous; uncertain; as, equivocal words; an equivocal sentence. For the beauties of Shakespeare are not of so dim or equivocal a nature as to be visible only to learned eyes. --Jeffrey. 2. Capable of being ascribed to different motives, or of signifying opposite feelings, purposes, or characters; deserving to be suspected; as, his actions are equivocal. "Equivocal repentances." --Milton. 3. Uncertain, as an indication or sign; doubtful. "How equivocal a test." --Burke. Equivocal chord (Mus.), a chord which can be resolved into several distinct keys; one whose intervals, being all minor thirds, do not clearly indicate its fundamental tone or root; the chord of the diminished triad, and the diminished seventh. Syn: Ambiguous; doubtful; uncertain; indeterminate. Usage: Equivocal, Ambiguous. We call an expression ambiguous when it has one general meaning, and yet contains certain words which may be taken in two different senses; or certain clauses which can be so connected with other clauses as to divide the mind between different views of part of the meaning intended. We call an expression equivocal when, taken as a whole, it conveys a given thought with perfect clearness and propriety, and also another thought with equal propriety and clearness. Such were the responses often given by the Delphic oracle; as that to Cr?sus when consulting about a war with Persia: "If you cross the Halys, you will destroy a great empire." This he applied to the Persian empire, which lay beyond that river, and, having crossed, destroyed his own, empire in the conflict. What is ambiguous is a mere blunder of language; what is equivocal is usually intended to deceive, though it may occur at times from mere inadvertence. Equivocation is applied only to cases where there is a design to deceive.
E*voke"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Evoked; p. pr. & vb. n. Evoking.] [L. evocare; e out + vocare to call, fr. vox, vocis, voice: cf. F ['e]voquer. See Voice, and cf. Evocate.]1. To call out; to summon forth. To evoke the queen of the fairies. --T. Warton. A requlating discipline of exercise, that whilst evoking the human energies, will not suffer them to be wasted. --De Quincey. 2. To call away; to remove from one tribunal to another. [R.] "The cause was evoked to Rome." --Hume.
Fal*set"to\, n.; pl. Falsettos. [It. falsetto, dim. fr. L. falsus. See False.] A false or artificial voice; that voice in a man which lies above his natural voice; the male counter tenor or alto voice. See Head voice, under Voice.
In*voke"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Invoked; p. pr. & vb. n. Invoking.] [F. invoquer, L. invocare; pref. in- in, on + vocare to call, fr. vox voice. See Voice, and cf. Invocate.] To call on for aid or protection; to invite earnestly or solemnly; to summon; to address in prayer; to solicit or demand by invocation; to implore; as, to invoke the Supreme Being, or to invoke His and blessing. Go, my dread lord, to your great grandsire's tomb, . . . Invoke his warlike spirit. --Shak.
Mid"dle\, a. [OE. middel, AS. middel; akin to D. middel, OHG. muttil, G. mittel. ????. See Mid, a.]1. Equally distant from the extreme either of a number of things or of one thing; mean; medial; as, the middle house in a row; a middle rank or station in life; flowers of middle summer; men of middle age. 2. Intermediate; intervening. Will, seeking good, finds many middle ends. --Sir J. Davies. Note: Middle is sometimes used in the formation of selfexplaining compounds; as, middle-sized, middle-witted. Middle Ages, the period of time intervening between the decline of the Roman Empire and the revival of letters. Hallam regards it as beginning with the sixth and ending with the fifteenth century. Middle class, in England, people who have an intermediate position between the aristocracy and the artisan class. It includes professional men, bankers, merchants, and small landed proprietors The middle-class electorate of Great Britain. --M. Arnold. Middle distance. (Paint.) See Middle-ground. Middle English. See English, n., 2. Middle Kingdom, China. Middle oil (Chem.), that part of the distillate obtained from coal tar which passes over between 170[deg] and 230[deg] Centigrade; -- distinguished from the light, and the heavy or dead, oil. Middle passage, in the slave trade, that part of the Atlantic Ocean between Africa and the West Indies. Middle post. (Arch.) Same as King-post. Middle States, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware; which, at the time of the formation of the Union, occupied a middle position between the Eastern States (or New England) and the Southern States. [U.S.] Middle term (Logic), that term of a syllogism with which the two extremes are separately compared, and by means of which they are brought together in the conclusion. --Brande. Middle tint (Paint.), a subdued or neutral tint. --Fairholt. Middle voice. (Gram.) See under Voice. Middle watch, the period from midnight to four A. M.; also, the men on watch during that time. --Ham. Nav. Encyc. Middle weight, a pugilist, boxer, or wrestler classed as of medium weight, i. e., over 140 and not over 160 lbs., in distinction from those classed as light weights, heavy weights, etc.
Pro*voke"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Provoked; p. pr. & vb. n. Provoking.] [F. provoquer, L. provocare to call forth; pro forth + vocare to call, fr. vox, vocis, voice, cry, call. See Voice.] To call forth; to call into being or action; esp., to incense to action, a faculty or passion, as love, hate, or ambition; hence, commonly, to incite, as a person, to action by a challenge, by taunts, or by defiance; to exasperate; to irritate; to offend intolerably; to cause to retaliate. Obey his voice, provoke him not. --Ex. xxiii. 21. Ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath. --Eph. vi. 4. Such acts Of contumacy will provoke the Highest To make death in us live. --Milton. Can honor's voice provoke the silent dust? --Gray. To the poet the meaning is what he pleases to make it, what it provokes in his own soul. -- J. Burroughs. Syn: To irritate; arouse; stir up; awake; excite; incite; anger. See Irritate.
Re*voke"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Revoked;p. pr. & vb. n. Revoking.] [F. r['e]voquer, L. revocare; pref. re- re- + vocare to call, fr. vox, vocis, voice. See Voice, and cf. Revocate.]1. To call or bring back; to recall. [Obs.] The faint sprite he did revoke again, To her frail mansion of morality. --Spenser. 2. Hence, to annul, by recalling or taking back; to repeal; to rescind; to cancel; to reverse, as anything granted by a special act; as,, to revoke a will, a license, a grant, a permission, a law, or the like. --Shak. 3. To hold back; to repress; to restrain. [Obs.] [She] still strove their sudden rages to revoke. --Spenser. 4. To draw back; to withdraw. [Obs.] --Spenser. 5. To call back to mind; to recollect. [Obs.] A man, by revoking and recollecting within himself former passages, will be still apt to inculcate these sad memoris to his conscience. --South. Syn: To abolish; recall; repeal; rescind; countermand; annul; abrogate; cancel; reverse. See Abolish.
U*niv"o*cal\, a. [L. univocus; unus one + vox, vocis, a voice, word. See One, and Voice.]1. Having one meaning only; -- contrasted with equivocal. 2. Having unison of sound, as the octave in music. See Unison, n., 2. 3. Having always the same drift or tenor; uniform; certain; regular. [R.] --Sir T. Browne. 4. Unequivocal; indubitable. [Obs.] --Jer. Taylor.
Vo"ca*ble\, n. [L. vocabulum an appellation, designation, name, fr. vocare to call, fr. vox, vocis, a voice, a word: cf. F. vocable. See Voice.] A word; a term; a name; specifically, a word considered as composed of certain sounds or letters, without regard to its meaning. Swamped near to drowning in a tide of ingenious vocables. --Carlyle.
Vo"cal\, a. [L. vocalis, fr. vox, vocis, voice: cf. F. vocal. See Voice, and cf. Vowel.]1. Of or pertaining to the voice or speech; having voice; endowed with utterance; full of voice, or voices. To hill or valley, fountain, or fresh shade, Made vocal by my song. --Milton. 2. Uttered or modulated by the voice; oral; as, vocal melody; vocal prayer. "Vocal worship." --Milton. 3. Of or pertaining to a vowel or voice sound; also, ?poken with tone, intonation, and resonance; sonant; sonorous; -- said of certain articulate sounds. 4. (Phon.) (a) Consisting of, or characterized by, voice, or tone produced in the larynx, which may be modified, either by resonance, as in the case of the vowels, or by obstructive action, as in certain consonants, such as v, l, etc., or by both, as in the nasals m, n, ng; sonant; intonated; voiced. See Voice, and Vowel, also Guide to Pronunciation, [sect][sect] 199-202. (b) Of or pertaining to a vowel; having the character of a vowel; vowel. Vocal cords or chords. (Anat.) See Larynx, and the Note under Voice, n., 1. Vocal fremitus [L. fremitus a dull roaring or murmuring] (Med.), the perceptible vibration of the chest wall, produced by the transmission of the sonorous vibrations during the act of using the voice. Vocal music, music made by the voice, in distinction from instrumental music; hence, music or tunes set to words, to be performed by the human voice. Vocal tube (Anat.), the part of the air passages above the inferior ligaments of the larynx, including the passages through the nose and mouth.
Vo"cal\, a. [L. vocalis, fr. vox, vocis, voice: cf. F. vocal. See Voice, and cf. Vowel.]1. Of or pertaining to the voice or speech; having voice; endowed with utterance; full of voice, or voices. To hill or valley, fountain, or fresh shade, Made vocal by my song. --Milton. 2. Uttered or modulated by the voice; oral; as, vocal melody; vocal prayer. "Vocal worship." --Milton. 3. Of or pertaining to a vowel or voice sound; also, ?poken with tone, intonation, and resonance; sonant; sonorous; -- said of certain articulate sounds. 4. (Phon.) (a) Consisting of, or characterized by, voice, or tone produced in the larynx, which may be modified, either by resonance, as in the case of the vowels, or by obstructive action, as in certain consonants, such as v, l, etc., or by both, as in the nasals m, n, ng; sonant; intonated; voiced. See Voice, and Vowel, also Guide to Pronunciation, [sect][sect] 199-202. (b) Of or pertaining to a vowel; having the character of a vowel; vowel. Vocal cords or chords. (Anat.) See Larynx, and the Note under Voice, n., 1. Vocal fremitus [L. fremitus a dull roaring or murmuring] (Med.), the perceptible vibration of the chest wall, produced by the transmission of the sonorous vibrations during the act of using the voice. Vocal music, music made by the voice, in distinction from instrumental music; hence, music or tunes set to words, to be performed by the human voice. Vocal tube (Anat.), the part of the air passages above the inferior ligaments of the larynx, including the passages through the nose and mouth.
Vo"cal\, a. [L. vocalis, fr. vox, vocis, voice: cf. F. vocal. See Voice, and cf. Vowel.]1. Of or pertaining to the voice or speech; having voice; endowed with utterance; full of voice, or voices. To hill or valley, fountain, or fresh shade, Made vocal by my song. --Milton. 2. Uttered or modulated by the voice; oral; as, vocal melody; vocal prayer. "Vocal worship." --Milton. 3. Of or pertaining to a vowel or voice sound; also, ?poken with tone, intonation, and resonance; sonant; sonorous; -- said of certain articulate sounds. 4. (Phon.) (a) Consisting of, or characterized by, voice, or tone produced in the larynx, which may be modified, either by resonance, as in the case of the vowels, or by obstructive action, as in certain consonants, such as v, l, etc., or by both, as in the nasals m, n, ng; sonant; intonated; voiced. See Voice, and Vowel, also Guide to Pronunciation, [sect][sect] 199-202. (b) Of or pertaining to a vowel; having the character of a vowel; vowel. Vocal cords or chords. (Anat.) See Larynx, and the Note under Voice, n., 1. Vocal fremitus [L. fremitus a dull roaring or murmuring] (Med.), the perceptible vibration of the chest wall, produced by the transmission of the sonorous vibrations during the act of using the voice. Vocal music, music made by the voice, in distinction from instrumental music; hence, music or tunes set to words, to be performed by the human voice. Vocal tube (Anat.), the part of the air passages above the inferior ligaments of the larynx, including the passages through the nose and mouth.
Vo*cif"er*ate\, v. i. [L. vociferatus, p. p. vociferari to vociferate; vox, vocis, voice + ferre to bear. See Voice, and Bear to carry.] To cry out with vehemence; to exclaim; to bawl; to clamor. --Cowper.
Voice\, n. [OE. vois, voys, OF. vois, voiz, F. voix, L. vox, vocis, akin to Gr. ? a word, ? a voice, Skr. vac to say, to speak, G. erw["a]hnen to mention. Cf. Advocate, Advowson, Avouch, Convoke, Epic, Vocal, Vouch, Vowel.]1. Sound uttered by the mouth, especially that uttered by human beings in speech or song; 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. --Chaucer. Her voice was ever soft, Gentle, and low; an excellent thing in woman. --Shak. Thy voice is music. --Shak. Join thy voice unto the angel choir. --Milton. 2. (Phon.) 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, s, sh, etc., and also whisper. Note: Voice, in this sense, is produced by vibration of the so-called vocal cords in the larynx (see Illust. of 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 a["e]rial pulses within a given time, that is, on the rapidity of their succession. See Guide to Pronunciation, [sect][sect] 5, 146, 155. 3. The tone or sound emitted by anything. After the fire a still small voice. --1 Kings xix. 12. Canst thou thunder with a voice like him? --Job xl. 9. The floods have lifted up their voice. --Ps. xciii. 3. O Marcus, I am warm'd; my heart Leaps at the trumpet's voice. --Addison. 4. The faculty or power of utterance; as, to cultivate the voice. 5. Language; words; speech; expression; signification of feeling or opinion. I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you. --Gal. iv. 20. My voice is in my sword. --Shak. Let us call on God in the voice of his church. --Bp. Fell. 6. Opinion or choice expressed; judgment; a vote. Sic. How now, my masters! have you chose this man? 1 Cit. He has our voices, sir. --Shak. Some laws ordain, and some attend the choice Of holy senates, and elect by voice. --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. --Deut. viii. 20. 8. One who speaks; a speaker. "A potent voice of Parliament." --Tennyson. 9. (Gram.) 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. Active voice (Gram.), that form of the verb by which its subject is represented as the agent or doer of the action expressed by it. Chest voice (Phon.), a kind of voice of a medium or low pitch and of a sonorous quality ascribed to resonance in the chest, or thorax; voice of the thick register. It is produced by vibration of the vocal cords through their entire width and thickness, and with convex surfaces presented to each other. Head voice (Phon.), a kind of voice of high pitch and of a thin quality ascribed to resonance in the head; voice of the thin register; falsetto. In producing it, the vibration of the cords is limited to their thin edges in the upper part, which are then presented to each other. Middle voice (Gram.), that form of the verb by which its subject is represented as both the agent, or doer, and the object of the action, that is, as performing some act to or upon himself, or for his own advantage. Passive voice. (Gram.) See under Passive, a. Voice glide (Pron.), the brief and obscure neutral vowel sound that sometimes occurs between two consonants in an unaccented syllable (represented by the apostrophe), as in able (a"b'l). See Glide, n., 2. Voice stop. See Voiced stop, under Voiced, a. With one voice, unanimously. "All with one voice . . . cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians." --Acts xix. 34.
Voice\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Voiced; p. pr. & vb. n. Voicing.]1. 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." --Bacon. It was voiced that the king purposed to put to death Edward Plantagenet. --Bacon. 2. (Phon.) 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. To fit for producing the proper sounds; to regulate the tone of; as, to voice the pipes of an organ. 4. To vote; to elect; to appoint. [Obs.] --Shak.
Vouch\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Vouched; p. pr. & vb. n. Vouching.] [OE. vouchen, OF. vochier to call, fr. L. vocare to call, fr. vox, vocis, voice. See Voice, and cf. Avouch.]1. To call; to summon. [Obs.] [They] vouch (as I might say) to their aid the authority of the writers. --Sir T. Elyot. 2. To call upon to witness; to obtest. Vouch the silent stars and conscious moon. --Dryden. 3. To warrant; to maintain by affirmations; to attest; to affirm; to avouch. They made him ashamed to vouch the truth of the relation, and afterwards to credit it. --Atterbury. 4. To back; to support; to confirm; to establish. Me damp horror chilled At such bold words vouched with a deed so bold. --Milton. 5. (Law) To call into court to warrant and defend, or to make good a warranty of title. He vouches the tenant in tail, who vouches over the common vouchee. --Blackstone. Syn: To obtest; declare; affirm; attest; warrant; confirm; asseverate; aver; protest; assure.
Whis"per\, n. 1. A low, soft, sibilant voice or utterance, which can be heard only by those near at hand; voice or utterance that employs only breath sound without tone, friction against the edges of the vocal cords and arytenoid cartilages taking the place of the vibration of the cords that produces tone; sometimes, in a limited sense, the sound produced by such friction as distinguished from breath sound made by friction against parts of the mouth. See Voice, n., 2, and Guide to Pronunciation, [sect][sect] 5, 153, 154. The inward voice or whisper can not give a tone. --Bacon. Soft whispers through the assembly went. --Dryden. 2. A cautious or timorous speech. --South. 3. Something communicated in secret or by whispering; a suggestion or insinuation. 4. A low, sibilant sound. "The whispers of the leaves." --Tennyson.
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Audio Help [vois] Pronunciation Key, noun, verb, voiced, voic·ing, adjective 
