From the Middle English - verb protesten, from Old French protester, from Latin prōtestārī, present active infinitive of prōtestor, from prō + testor, from testis ("witness").

Noun and verb

• (British) IPA: /ˈpɹəʊ.tɛst/
• (America) enPR: prōʹtĕst, IPA: /ˈpɹoʊ.tɛst/

Verb

• enPR: prə.tĕstʹ, IPA: /pɹəˈtɛst/

Note

protest (protests, present participle protesting; simple past and past participle protested)

1. (intransitive) 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.

   • 1915, G[eorge] A. Birmingham [pseudonym; James Owen Hannay], chapter I, in Gossamer, New York, N.Y.: George H. Doran Company, →OCLC ↗:

     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 gladly make mine over to him if I could.

2. (transitive) To affirm (something).

   I protest my innocence.

   I do protest and declare …

   • 1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act V, scene i]:

     I will protest your cowardice.

   • 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC ↗:

     Our youth, now, emboldened with his success, resolved to push the matter farther, and ventured even to beg her recommendation of him to her father's service; protesting that he thought him one of the honestest fellows in the country, and extremely well qualified for the place of a gamekeeper, which luckily then happened to be vacant.

   • 1919, W[illiam] Somerset Maugham, “Ch.8”, in The Moon and Sixpence, [New York, N.Y.]: Grosset & Dunlap Publishers […], →OCLC ↗:

     She flashed a smile at me, and, protesting an engagement with her dentist, jauntily walked on.

3. (transitive, chiefly, North America) To object to; to protest against.

   They protested the demolition of the school.

4. To call as a witness in affirming or denying, or to prove an affirmation; to appeal to.
   • 1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC ↗; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC ↗:

     Fiercely [they] opposed / My journey strange, with clamorous uproar / Protesting fate supreme.

5. (legal, transitive) 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.
6. (obsolete, transitive) To publish; to make known.

• French: protester
• German: protestieren, demonstrieren
• Italian: protestare
• Portuguese: protestar
• Russian: протестова́ть
• Spanish: protestar

• Russian: торже́ственно заявля́ть
• Spanish: proclamar

• German: Einspruch erheben, Einwände äußern
• Spanish: oponerse, objetar

protest

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.

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.

• dissent
• objection
• protestation

• French: protestation
• German: Protest, Einspruch, Widerspruch
• Italian: protesta
• Portuguese: protesto
• Russian: проте́ст
• Spanish: protesta

• French: manifestation
• German: Protest, Demonstration
• Portuguese: manifestação
• Russian: проте́ст
• Spanish: manifestación