Also 5 voyse, voise, 6–7 voyce, 7 Sc. woyce. [f. prec.]
I. trans. 1. In passive: To be commonly said or stated; to be spoken of generally or publicly; to be reported, rumored or bruited abroad. ? Obs.
a. With for, as, to be, or simple complement.
1453. Paston Lett., Suppl. (1901), 49. Johane, the wyfe of Robert Iclyngham, chapman, quich ys voysed for a mysse governyd woman.
1626. in Birch, Crt. & Times Chas. I. (1848), I. 148. Here is much lamentation for the King of Denmark, whose disaster is voiced by all to be exceeding great.
1638. Mayne, Lucian (1666), 206. Nor are they … to be pointed at by passengers, and voiced the most Valiant among equalls.
1659. Heylin, Certamen Epist., 33. A Book of mine called Respondit Petrus … was publiquely voyced abroad, to have been publiquely burnt in London.
1698. Fryer, Acc. E. India & P., 63. About the House was a delicate Garden, voiced to be the pleasantest in India.
1810. Scott, Lady of L., II. xxv. Not long should Roderick Dhu’s renown Be foremost voiced by mountain fame. Ibid. (1822), Nigel, xxix. Your father was voiced generally as … one of the bravest men of Scotland.
† b. In impersonal use, it is voiced. Usually introduced by as, or const. that, how. Obs.
(a) 1458. Paston Lett., I. 425. The King’s safe conduct is not holden but broken, as it is voiced here.
1475. Bk. Noblesse (Roxb.), 71. Which grevous offence, as it is voised accustumablie,… hathe be more usid under … youre obeisaunce … than in othir straunge regions.
1599. Hakluyt, Voy., I. 605. A prayer … made by her Maiestie, as it was voyced.
1659. Rushw., Hist. Coll., I. 176. Pennington hasted to Oxford where the Parliament was reassembled, but as was voiced, was there concealed till the Parliament was dissolved.
(b.) 1606. Dekker, Sev. Sins, II. (Arb.), 20. After it was voyc’d that Monsieur Mendax came to dwell amongst them.
1629. Maxwell, trans. Herodian (1635), 95. When it was voyced, how graciously he had spoken to the Senate.
a. 1648. Ld. Herbert, Hen. VIII. (1683), 138. The Duke of Albany … made it to be voiced abroad, that he had no purpose to stir out of France this year.
1652. C. B. Stapylton, Herodian, VI. 52. When it was voic’d how Graciously he spoke,… All men were pleas’d.
† c. Const. upon (a thing or person). Obs.
1599. Sandys, Europæ Spec. (1632), 5. For one miracle reported to be wrought by the Crucifix, not so few perhaps as an hundred are voiced upon those other Images.
1638. Featly, Strict. Lyndom., II. 54. If the Church groundeth not the canonization of Saints upon the report of miracles voyced on them.
† d. In miscellaneous uses. Obs.
1600. Holland, Livy, XLV. xxvii. 1219. Giving no credite to the fame that was voiced of the Romans victorie, they cruelly handled certaine Romane souldiours.
1628. Hobbes, Thucyd. (1822), 13. The causes of the breach of the league publickly voiced, were these.
a. 1648. Ld. Herbert, Hen. VIII. (1683), 473. And now these Articles being published in the neighbourhood, and thence voiced abroad, drew many to them.
† 2. Similarly in active use: To speak of, state, report, proclaim, etc. Obs.
Used (a) with or (b) without complement. Cf. sense 1.
(a) 1597–8. Bacon, Ess., Suitors (Arb.), 46. Secrecie in Sutes is a great meane of obtaining, for voicing them to bee in forwardness may discourage some kinde of suters, but doth quicken and awake others.
1609. Daniel, Civ. Wars, III. lxxxiii. Many sought to feed The easie creditours of nouelties, By voycing him aliue.
1644. Featly, Roma Ruens, 2. So you papists generally, though you are a medly or cento of many hereticks,… yet you voyce your selvs Catholikes.
1672. Marvell, Reh. Transp. (1673), II. 53. He voiced my book all over as a most pernicious engine against the whole body of the clergy.
(b) 1623. Middleton & Rowley, Span. Gipsy, II. ii. He, as report Was bold to voice, retir’d himself to Rhodes.
1623. Ford, Lover’s Mel., II. 1. With much joy [she] returned home, and, as report voiced it at Athens, enjoyed her happiness. Ibid. (1633), Love’s Sacr., II. i. Yet for the friendship ’twixt my lord and you, I have not voic’d your follies.
† 3. To speak much or highly of; to praise or cry up (a person or thing). Usually in the passive.
1603. Holland, Plutarch’s Mor., 498. The publike calamities of her countrey … caused her to be well knowne and voiced in the world.
1654. W. Jenkyn, Fun. Serm., Ep. Ded. A ij b. Nothing is more ordinary than for the wicked to voice up dead Ministers for … blessed men, whom in their life-time … they bitterly opposed.
1673. Hickeringill, Greg. F. Greyb., 149. Such was this advancement of Abbot to the Arch-Bishoprick, voic’d and carried up so high by the Cabal of the Puritans.
† b. To speak of (one) in a certain way. Obs.–1
1607. Shaks., Timon, IV. iii. 81. Is this th’ Athenian Minion, whom the world Voic’d so regardfully?
† 4. To elect (a person) by voice or vote; to name, nominate or appoint to an office. Also with out. Obs.
1606. Bacon, Lett. Ld. Salisbury, Several Lett. (1657), 40. Because I have been voiced to it [sc. the Solicitor’s place], I would be glad it were done.
1623. Bp. Sanderson, Serm., I. 96. We may well voice him for a magistrate;… that hath the fewest and least [defects].
1624. Heywood, Gunaik., IV. 186. Praxaspes begins his oration,… Then told them whom in his [sc. Cyrus’s] stead they had voyced into the Sacred Empire.
a. 1670. Spalding, Troub. Chas. I. (Spalding Cl.), II. 363. He desyrit the moderatour to voice out tuelf of thair bretheren to sit … at thair committee.
† b. With complement. Obs.–1
1607. Shaks., Cor., II. iii. 242. Say … that Your Minds preoccupy’d … made you against the graine To Voyce him Consull.
† c. To vote for (something). Obs.–1
1642. Sir E. Dering, Sp. on Relig., v. 20. They that were present had voyce, they who voyced the Canons, joyned in the decree.
5. To speak or utter (a word, etc.); † to sound or pronounce in utterance like (something).
1638. Sir T. Herbert, Trav. (ed. 2), 18. Some words I gather’d from one of the gravest of them, which (being voyced like the Irish) if I give it hardly to be pronounced, you may excuse mee.
1848. Bailey, Festus (ed. 3), 167. Again that name hath knelled upon mine ear, Though I have never voiced it.
1866. Lowell, Biglow Papers, Ser. II. Introd. The Americanisms with which we are faulted and which we are in the habit of voicing.
1904. Weyman, Abb. Vlaye, xxiii. 353. He was more than content if the little fool would raise no disturbance, voice no cries, but let herself be married without the need of open force.
fig. 1875. Lanier, Symphony, 265.
| And man shall sing thee a true-love song, | |
| Voiced in act his whole life long. |
† b. To announce (something) to a person. Obs.
1629. R. Hall, in Bp. Hall’s Wks. (1839), XI. 407. Was it lately voiced to thee from heaven, concerning these wretched animals stabling in France, ‘Arise, Pope Urban, kill and eat?’
c. To inform or tell (a person) that (etc.).
1898. T. Hardy, Wessex Poems, 134. Till chance had there voiced me That one I loved vainly in nonage Had ceased her to be.
6. To give voice, utterance or expression to (an emotion, opinion, etc.); to express in words or with the voice; to proclaim openly or publicly.
Common from c. 1880 in both Eng. and U.S. use.
1607–12. Bacon, Ess., Gt. Place (Arb.), 286. Rather assume thie right in silence and de facto, then voyce it with claimes and Challenges.
1852. Fraser’s Mag., XLVI. 429. None daring to give utterance to a thought, or to voice the thrill of emotion which even every coward’s heart must have felt.
1880. Kinglake, Crimea, VI. ix. 264. The will of a united and resolute people was voiced by our great English journal.
1898. G. W. E. Russell, Collect. & Recoll., xx. 258. St. Aldegonde, whatever his political aberrations, voiced the universal sentiment of his less fortunate fellow-citizens.
refl. 1848. Bailey, Festus (ed. 3), 203. Again the world-soul voiced itself, and I Drank in the fruitful glories of her words.
b. poet. Of birds, the wind, etc.
1822. B. W. Procter, Misc. Poems, Mids. Madness. But I may hear … the lost nightingale, Voice her complaint.
1829. Southey, Young Dragon, IV. 57. Wherefore, ye happy Birds, your mirth Are ye in carols voicing?
1881. Scribner’s Mag., XXI. 516. The windy forest, rousing from its sleep, Voices its heart in hoarse, Titanic roar.
absol. 1868. Tennyson, Lucretius, 101. The bird Makes his heart voice amid the blaze of flowers.
c. Of words, writings, etc.
1850. Blackie, Æschylus, I. 88. Words in vain shall voice my sorrow.
1889. W. M. Thayer, Life A. Lincoln, xxv. 337. These earnest words voice his abiding interest in the loyal army.
1892. W. R. Carson, in Times, 13 June, 6/2. This letter voices the opinion of my Church in Ireland.
d. To act as the mouthpiece or spokesman of, to express the opinions of (a body of persons).
1893. Westm. Gaz., 8 July, 4/3. The leader of the South German Democrats rose to voice the Opposition.
1893. Programme World’s Congress, 3. A series of popular congresses … voiced by the ablest living representatives.
7. poet. or rhet. To endow with voice, or the faculty of speech or song. Cf. VOICED ppl. a. 1.
a. 1711. Ken, Hymns Evang., Poet. Wks. 1721, I. 33. The God of Harmony voic’d all their Throats, And sweetly harmoniz’d their various Notes.
1731. A. Hill, Adv. Poets, xvi. Th’ Almighty God, who gave the Sun to blaze, Voic’d the Great Poet, for his Maker’s Praise.
1853. D. Jerrold, Chron. Clovernook, Wks. VI. 298. Upon the shore are beautiful shells, red-lipped as Venus, and voiced with wondrous singing.
b. Organ-building. To give the correct quality of tone to (an organ or organ-pipe). Cf. VOICING vbl. sb. 4.
1708. in Willis & Clark, Cambridge (1886), II. 580. Agreed … yt Mr Christopher … do finish the Organ by tuning and voicing it. Ibid. (1715), 581. 30 pounds for cleaning and voicing ye Chapel Organ.
1801. Busby, Dict. Mus., To voice, an expression applied by organ-builders to the regulating the tone of a pipe. To Voice a Pipe, is to bring it to its intended tone and power.
1858. J. Baron, Scudamore Organs, 27. Such an organ, if properly voiced and played, will have a clear, ringing, truthful tone.
1881. W. E. Dickson, Pract. Organ-building, ix. 121. The skill, taste, and judgment with which it is finally voiced and regulated.
c. To sound (a musical instrument). rare–1.
1728. R. North, Mem. Music (1846), 26. It is said the tibia had four foramina…, by which I guess it was voiced either by the lipps, as a cornett, or els by some reedall.
8. Phonology. To utter (a sound) with vibration of the vocal chords. Cf. VOICED ppl. a. 3.
1877. [see VOICED ppl. a.].
1888. Sweet, Eng. Sounds, 18. Dutch still voices final s in stressless words such as is and was when a vowel follows.
9. Mus. To write the voice-parts for (a piece of music).
1873. Hiles, Dict. Mus. Terms (ed. 2), 227. To voice, also means, writing the voice parts, regard being had to the nature and capabilities of each kind of voice.
II. intr. † 10. To use the voice; to cry out, exclaim, make outcry. Also to voice it. Obs.
1627. W. Sclater, Exp. 2 Thess. (1629), 225. The siluer-Smith at Ephesus made a head of such good fellowes, voycing it as strongly as their Captaine against the Apostle.
1632. Quarles, Div. Fancies, II. xxvii. If thou wilt give me David’s heart, Ile voyce, Great God, with David; and make David’s choyce.
1682. Southerne, Loyal Brother, III. i. Were those soft slaves of leachery … To head an Army;… How wou’d they voice it o’re and o’re for Tachmas To come, and blunt the edge of War agen!
† 11. To vote; to give a vote or votes. Obs.
a. 1639. Spottiswood, Hist. Ch. Scot., VI. (1677), 386. Mr. Thomas and the rest abode in the place, and according as they had voiced, appointed Mr. Patrick Weimes … to be received Minister.
1642. Jer. Taylor, Episc., § 41. 290. I remember also that this place is pretended for the peoples power of voycing in Councells.
† b. With complement. Obs.–1
1638. Act Gen. Assembly Ch. Scot. (1682), 14. In this pretended Assembly … the voicers were threatned to voice affirmativè, under no lesse pain nor the wrath of authoritie.
