protest

A formal objection, especially one by a group.

Noun

  1. A formal objection, especially one by a group.
    • They lodged a protest with the authorities.
  2. A collective gesture of disapproval; a demonstration.
    • We held a protest in front of City Hall.
    • All this has led to an explosion of protest across China, including among a middle class that has discovered nimbyism. - 2013 August 10, “Can China clean up fast enough?”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848:
    • Sage Ip, a 29-year-old flight attendant who cast her ballot on Sunday in the Sai Ying Pun district, said she voted in the primary because she was worried that she would never get a chance to do so again. “Voting is...
  3. The noting by a notary public of an unpaid or unaccepted bill.
  4. A written declaration, usually by the master of a ship, stating the circumstances attending loss or damage of ship or cargo, etc.

Origin

PIE word *tréyes From the Middle English verb protesten, from Old French protester, from Latin prōtestārī, from prō + testor, from testis (“witness”).

Forms

protests

Synonyms

dissent objection protestation

Derived

antiprotest counterprotest cyberprotest dirty protest ecoprotest methinks the lady doth protest too much methinks thou dost protest too much nonprotest protestable Protestant protestation protester protestive protest march protest song protest too much protest vote protestware supraprotest the lady doth protest too much under protest

Verb

  1. To make a strong objection.
    • How dare you, I protest!
    • The public took to the streets to protest over the planned change to the law.
    • As a political system democracy seems to me extraordinarily foolish, but I would not go out of my way to protest against it. My servant is, so far as I am concerned, welcome to as many votes as he can get. I would very...
  2. To affirm (something).
    • I protest my innocence.
    • I do protest and declare …
    • I will protest your cowardice. - 1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard,...
  3. To object to.
    • "The gay community would love to point to Patti and say, 'She's one of us'" […] I protest the statement I have mentioned, as well as others like it. Few people I know, gay or straight, identify with the often outrageous...
  4. To publicly demonstrate against.
    • They protested the demolition of the school.
  5. To call as a witness in affirming or denying, or to prove an affirmation; to appeal to.
    • Fiercely [they] opposed / My journey strange, with clamorous uproar / Protesting fate supreme. - 1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […];...
  6. to make a solemn written declaration, in due form, on behalf of the holder, against all parties liable for any loss or damage to be sustained by non-acceptance or non-payment of (a bill or note). This should be made by a notary public, whose seal it is the usual practice to affix.
  7. To publish; to make known.

Forms

protests protesting protested