I. pro ‧ test 1 W3 /ˈprəʊtest $ ˈproʊ-/ BrE AmE noun
1 . [uncountable and countable] something that you do to show publicly that you think that something is wrong and unfair, for example taking part in big public meetings, refusing to work, or refusing to buy a company’s products
protest against
Students held a protest march against the war.
Five thousand employees came out on strike in protest at the poor working conditions.
2 . [countable] words or actions that show that you do not want someone to do something or that you dislike something very much
protest from
I turned off the TV, despite loud protests from the kids.
without protest
He accepted his punishment without protest.
She ignored his protests and walked away.
The programme caused a storm of protest (=a lot of angry protest) .
The announcement was met with howls of protest.
3 . do something under protest to do something while making it clear that you do not want to do it:
The bill was eventually paid under protest.
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COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ hold/stage/mount a protest
Opponents of the plan have staged several protests.
▪ lead to/spark (off) protests (=cause them)
The arrests sparked off violent street protests.
▪ organize a protest
She organized a protest outside the store.
▪ protests erupt (=start suddenly)
Massive protests erupted across the country.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + protest
▪ a public/popular protest
The announcement led to widespread public protests.
▪ political protest
Lee spent five years in prison for his involvement in political protest.
▪ a peaceful protest
Some 5,000 students and others began a peaceful protest.
▪ a violent/angry protest
Three people died yesterday in violent protests against the war.
▪ a mass protest (=one involving a lot of people)
There were mass protests in the capital.
▪ a massive protest
They reacted to the king’s forced abdication with massive public protests.
▪ a student protest
Student protests were crushed by police.
▪ a street protest
There was a ban on street protests.
▪ an anti-government protest
Religious leaders continued to lead anti-government protests.
■ protest + NOUN
▪ a protest group/movement
Students at the heart of the protest movement have called for a general strike.
▪ a protest march
They staged a protest march through the city’s streets.
▪ a protest rally (=a large outdoor public meeting to protest about something )
A protest rally in the capital was attended by about 400 people.
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THESAURUS
▪ complaint something that you say or write when you are complaining, especially to someone in an official position:
If you have any complaints, please contact our customer relations department.
|
Our main complaint is the poor standard of service.
|
If you have a complaint, you should write to the manager.
| make a complaint :
Some employees are worried about what will happen to them if they make a complaint.
| complaint about :
Keating was dismissed after complaints about the quality of his work.
| formal complaint :
Mr Kelly has made a formal complaint against the police.
| letters of complaint :
The commission has so far received nearly 10,000 letters of complaint.
▪ protest when someone complains publicly about something that they think is wrong or unfair and should not be allowed to happen:
Despite their protests, the students’ fees were increased.
| in protest (=as a way of making a protest) :
When two members of the team were dismissed, the rest of them walked out in protest.
| protest against :
The ambassador lodged a formal protest against the proposals.
| ignore somebody’s protests :
Ignoring my protests, he took off his jacket and wrapped it around my shoulders.
▪ grievance something that you feel unhappy about because you think that you have been treated unfairly – use this especially about an official complaint you make about the place where you work: file a grievance (=officially complain) :
She filed a grievance last year after her supervisor refused to promote her.
| grievance against :
Anyone who has a legitimate grievance against the company can take it to the arbitration committee.
| air a grievance (=discuss a grievance publicly) :
The meetings give employees the opportunity to express their views or air grievances.
II. pro ‧ test 2 /prəˈtest $ ˈprə-/ BrE AmE verb
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: French ; Origin: protester , from Latin protestari , from testari 'to speak as a witness' ]
1 . [intransitive and transitive] to come together to publicly express disapproval or opposition to something
protest against/at/about
Thousands of people blocked the street, protesting against the new legislation.
protest something American English :
Students protested the decision.
2 . [intransitive and transitive] to say that you strongly disagree with or are angry about something because you think it is wrong or unfair:
‘I don’t see why I should take the blame for this!’ she protested.
protest that
Clive protested that he hadn’t been given enough time to do everything.
3 . [transitive] to state very firmly that something is true, when other people do not believe you
protest (that)
Sarah protested that she wasn’t Mick’s girlfriend.
Years later, he is still protesting his innocence.
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THESAURUS
▪ protest to do something to show publicly that you disagree with something – used especially when a large group of people do this together:
Huge crowds gathered in the capital protesting against the war.
|
Drivers blocked roads around the capital to protest about the rising cost of fuel.
▪ march to walk in a large group from one place to another in order to protest about something:
Hundreds of students marched through the city in protest against the employment laws.
▪ demonstrate to walk or stand somewhere in a large group, in order to protest about something:
About 200 people were demonstrating outside the US Embassy.
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Environmentalists have been demonstrating against plans to dump waste at sea.
▪ riot to protest by behaving in a violent and uncontrolled way:
Hundreds of workers rioted after pay negotiations broke down.
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The prisoners were rioting agianst their appalling conditions.
▪ boycott to protest about the actions of a company, country, or industry by refusing to buy something, or refusing to go to a place or event:
They may boycott the next Olympic Games.
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Shoppers are boycotting battery-farmed eggs.
▪ hold/stage a sit-in to protest by refusing to leave a place:
The students have been staging a sit-in to protest about overcrowding at the polytechnic.
▪ go on a hunger strike ( also go on hunger strike British English ) to protest by refusing to eat:
Maynard went on a hunger strike to protest his innocence.