voice definition | Dictionary.com

voice

[vois]

,noun, verb, voiced, voic⋅ing, adjective

–noun

1.	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

Related forms:

voicer, noun

Synonyms:
5. cry, call. 6. sound, language, speech, tongue. 11. order, command. 12. mouthpiece, organ. 18. reveal, disclose, publish.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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voice (vois)

1. The sound produced by the vocal organs of a vertebrate, especially a human.
2. The ability to produce such sounds.
3. Musical sound produced by vibration of the human vocal cords and resonated within the throat and head cavities.
4. The quality or condition of a person's singing: a baritone in excellent voice.
5. A singer: a choir of excellent voices.
6. 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.
7. Expression; utterance: gave voice to their feelings at the meeting.
8. A medium or agency of expression: a newsletter that serves as a neighborhood voice.
9. 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
1. Musical sound produced by vibration of the human vocal cords and resonated within the throat and head cavities.
2. The quality or condition of a person's singing: a baritone in excellent voice.
3. A singer: a choir of excellent voices.
4. 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.
5. Expression; utterance: gave voice to their feelings at the meeting.
6. A medium or agency of expression: a newsletter that serves as a neighborhood voice.
7. The right or opportunity to express a choice or opinion: a territory that has a voice, but not a vote, in Congress.
1. Expression; utterance: gave voice to their feelings at the meeting.
2. A medium or agency of expression: a newsletter that serves as a neighborhood voice.
3. 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
1. To provide (a composition) with voice parts.
2. 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 wek^w- in Indo-European roots.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Voice

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

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.

Voice

Voice\, v. i. To clamor; to cry out. [Obs.] --South.

Language Translation for : voice

Spanish: voz,

German: die Stimme,

Japanese: 声

More Translations »

voice

vt. To phone someone, as opposed to emailing them or connecting in talk mode. "I'm busy now; I'll voice you later."

Jargon File 4.2.0
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voice (n.)

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.

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 —voice transitive verb voiced; voic·ing

voice (vois)
n.
The sound made by air passing out through the larynx and upper respiratory tract and produced by the vibration of the vocal organs.

voice

see at the top of one's lungs (voice); give voice to; have a say (voice) in; raise one's voice; still small voice; with one voice.

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