protest
noun
uk/ˈprəʊtest/ us [ C or U ]
a strong complaint against something, or the act of complaining strongly about it:
an angry/big/formal protest The chief executive of the troubled company gave up a £2.8m bonus package after big protests.
in protest against/at sth He resigned in protest at the refusal to privatise the airline.
The length of directors' contracts attracted a storm of protest from small shareholders at last year's annual meeting.
[ C ]
an occasion when people show that they disagree strongly with something by standing together and shouting and carrying signs, especially on the streets:
hold/organize/stage a protest Shareholders held protests against the takeover bid outside the Stock Exchange.
spark/trigger a protest The plan sparked days of street protests.
a large/mass/peaceful protest
a protest demonstration/march
under protest
if something is done under protest, it is done unwillingly:
In the cruise-ship industry, some companies are paying sales tax under protest, and some aren't paying at all.
protest
verb
uk/prəʊˈtest/ us/prəˈtest/ [ I or T ]
to say or do something to show that you are against something:
protest about/at sth Shareholders of the telecoms company are being urged to protest about a £10million bonus given to the chief executive.
protest against sth Local entrepreneurs banded together and called a strike to protest against an increase in local taxes.
US protest a proposal/decision
to say very forcefully that something is true:
protest that Industry lobbyists protest that the charges on small loans would drive lenders out of business.