1539
volcanic
speaking: The tongue is one of the vocal organs. 2 [no comp.]
produced by or for the voice; spoken, sung, or expressed
aloud: I like instrumental better than vocal music. 3 infml
expressing oneself freely and noisily in words; talking a
great deal, usually loudly: He gave her very vocal support. |
an increasingly vocal minority —ly adv
**vocal²** n [often pl.] the sung part of a popular song, as opposed
to the parts played on instruments: a song by Wings, with
Paul McCartney on vocals
**vocal cords** n [P] thin bands of muscle inside the throat
that produce sounds when air passes through them
**vo·cal·ist** /'vəʊkəlɪst/ n a singer of popular songs, especially
one who sings with a band ➔ compare INSTRUMENTALIST
**vo·cal·ize** also **-ise** BrE /'vəʊkəlaɪz/ v [I;T] to make a sound
or sounds with your voice —**vocalization**
/ˌvəʊkəlaɪ'zeɪʃən||-lə-/ n [C;U]
**vo·ca·tion** /vəʊ'keɪʃən/ n 1 [S(for)] particular fitness or abil-
ity for a certain kind of work, especially of a worthy kind:
She's a good nurse because she has a real vocation for looking
after the sick. 2 [C] a job, especially which one does because
one has a special fitness or ability to give service to other
people: Teaching children ought to be a vocation as well as a
way of earning money. 3 [S] the belief that one has been
chosen by God to lead a religious life: Daniel decided to give
up being a priest when he lost his vocation. ➔ see JOB (USAGE)
**vo·ca·tion·al** /vəʊ'keɪʃənəl/ adj of or preparing one for a
job: vocational training | a vocational guidance counsellor | a
vocational school
**vo·ca·tion·al ed·u·ca·tion** n [U] education or training for
specific jobs rather than for life in general or simply enjoy-
ment
**voc·a·tive** /'vɒkətɪv||'vɑː-/ n tech a particular form of a noun
in certain languages, such as Latin, used when speaking or
writing to someone or something —**vocative** adj
**vo·cif·er·ate** /və'sɪfəreɪt, vəʊ-||vəʊ-/ v [I] fml to shout
loudly and forcefully, especially when complaining —**ation**
/vəˌsɪfə'reɪʃən, vəʊ-||vəʊ-/ n [C;U fml]
**vo·cif·er·ous** /və'sɪfərəs, vəʊ-||vəʊ-/ adj fml 1 noisy in
expressing one's feelings: a vociferous group of pick-
ets 2 expressed noisily in speech or by shouting: vociferous
demands —ly adv —ness n [U]
**Vo·da·fone** /'vəʊdəfəʊn/ trademark a MULTINATIONAL TEL-
ECOMMUNICATIONS company, based in the UK, which oper-
ates a NETWORK for MOBILE PHONES
**vod·ka** /'vɒdkə||'vɑːdkə/ n [U] a strong, colourless alcoholic
drink without a very strong taste, made originally in Russia
and the TRADITIONAL drink of this country, but also made in
Poland and other countries
**vogue¹** /vəʊg/ n [C(for);(the)U] the popular fashion or custom
at a certain usually not lasting time: There seems to be a
vogue for Chinese food at present. | Short skirts were in
vogue/were all the vogue in the 1960s.
**vogue²** adj [A] newly popular and much used, but likely soon
to go out of favour: vogue words
**Vogue** trademark a fashion magazine for women, which
includes photographs of expensive clothes and articles
about new fashions, health, and beauty
**voice¹** /vɔɪs/ n 1 [C;U] (the ability to make) the sound(s)
produced in speaking and singing: a high/low/deep voice | a
hoarse/husky/rough voice | a gruff/kind/soft voice | I've got a
bad cold and I've lost my voice. | We could hear the children's
voices in the garden. | She's got a lovely voice. | My son's voice
is breaking. (=becoming lower like a man's) | There was a
growl in his voice. | He replied in an angry tone of voice. | a
voice quivering with anger | She's in good voice (=singing
well) today. | She lowered her voice/ Her voice dropped as she
told me the secret. | I had to raise my voice (=speak louder) to
make myself heard. | (fig.) Don't raise your voice (=speak
angrily) to me. | Not a voice was raised against the plan. (=no
one disagreed with it) | (fig.) 'I don't think you should get
married.' 'Ah the voice of experience!' (=you are saying that
because of your own (bad experience)) 2 [S;U(in)] the ability
to express an opinion, to vote, or to influence other opin-
ions, decisions etc: I can't help you to get this job, as I have
very little voice in the decision of the directors. | He added/lent
his voice to the call for disarmament. 3 [C usually sing.] a) a
means of expression: He became the recognized voice of the
West Indian community in Britain. | The feminists have found
their political voice at last. | the voice of reason/sanity b) an
expressed wish or opinion: The government should listen to
the voice of the people/the majority. 4 [C usually sing.] tech the
form of the verb which shows whether the subject of a
sentence acts (active voice) or is acted on (passive
voice) 5 give voice to fml to express (feelings, thoughts etc)
aloud 6 with one voice lit all together; with everyone
expressing the same opinion 7 -voiced /vɔɪst/ having a
voice of the stated quality: 'Yes,' came the deep-voiced reply.
➔ see also at the top of one's voice (TOP); see NOISE (USAGE)
**voice²** v [T] 1 to express in words, especially forcefully: The
chairman encouraged us all to voice our opinions. 2 tech
to produce (a sound, especially a consonant) with a movement
of the VOCAL CORDS, as well as with the breath: /d/ and /g/
are voiced consonants, but /t/ and /k/ are not.
**Voice, The** trademark a British newspaper especially for the
black COMMUNITY ➔ compare EBONY
**'voice box** n ➔ see LARYNX
**voice·less** /'vɔɪsləs/ adj tech (of a speech sound, especially a
consonant) not voiced (VOICE): /f, k, t/ are voiceless conso-
nants.
**voice·mail** /'vɔɪsmeɪl/ n [U] a system that many office
telephones have that allows people to leave a recorded
message on your Touch-Tone phone when you are unable to
answer it, which you can listen to later
**Voice of A'merica, the** abbrev. VOA a US radio station
which broadcasts news and other programmes to other
countries ➔ compare BBC WORLD SERVICE
**'voice·over** n the voice of an unseen person on a film or
television show, who makes remarks or gives information
about what is being shown
**void¹** /vɔɪd/ adj 1 [F+of] fml empty (of); without; lacking;
DEVOID: That part of the town is completely void of interest for
visitors. 2 tech (especially of an official agreement) having
no legal force: A contract signed by a child is void. ➔ see also
NULL AND VOID
**void²** n 1 [the S] especially lit the space around the world which
stretches out beyond the stars 2 [C usually sing.] a deep empty
space: The ground began to shake and a sudden void opened
under his feet. 3 [C usually sing.] a feeling of emptiness or loss:
Their son's death left a painful void in their lives.
**void³** v [T] 1 fml or tech to get rid of (the unwanted contents of
something) by emptying or pouring out through a hole,
tube etc 2 law to cause to be without effect; make void
**Voight, Jon** /vɔɪt, dʒɒn||dʒɑːn/ (1938-) an American actor
and PRODUCER whose films include Midnight Cowboy, The
Odessa File, and Heat
**voi·là, voila** /vwɑː'lɑː/ interj Fr (said when something or
someone appears, perhaps in an unexpected or surprising
way): I just put everything inside, close the lid, push the button
and ... voilà! Vegetable purée!
**voile** /vɔɪl/ n [U] a very fine, thin, almost transparent mat-
erial of cotton, silk, or wool; it is used especially to make
women's summer clothing and curtains
**vol** /vɒl||vɑːl/ (often cap.) abbrev. for VOLUME
**vol·a·tile** /'vɒlətaɪl||'vɑːlətl/ adj 1 of a quickly changing,
undependable nature, especially easily becoming angry or
dangerous: a volatile character | The situation in the streets is
highly volatile, and the army is being called in. 2 (of a liquid
or oil) easily changing into a gas: Petrol is volatile. —**tility**
/ˌvɒlə'tɪlɪti||ˌvɑː-/ n [U]
**vol-au-vent** /ˌvɒl əʊ 'vɒn||ˌvɑːl əʊ 'vɑːn/ n a very light
small pastry case filled with meat, chicken etc
**vol·can·ic** /vɒl'kænɪk||vɑːl-/ adj 1 of, from, produced by, or
caused by a volcano: volcanic rocks | volcanic activity 2 vio-
lently forceful: a volcanic temper