to voice beef
- phrasal verb
- Slang
- Several employees voiced beef about the lack of parking spaces at work.
Examples
-
It's okay to voice beef if you believe the rules are unfair.
-
I want to voice beef about the service I received.
-
If you have a problem, don't hesitate to voice beef at the meeting.
-
You should voice beef if you're unhappy!
-
It's perfectly acceptable to voice beef about issues you encounter at work.
-
Many students decided to voice beef regarding the cafeteria food quality.
-
If you're not satisfied with the service, you should voice beef to the manager.
Synonyms
46
3.7
To complain quietly in a low voice
21
3.9
Speak in public to say you are worried about something
17
7.0
To say your opinion or complain loudly and openly
10
4.1
To complain quietly about something you do not like
6
8.4
To complain in an angry way about something
1
9.9
To complain quietly because you are unhappy
1
6.3
To express a complaint or concern, often publicly
Antonyms
How Forceful
- Formal
142
6.8
383
3.2
- Formal
1
6.3
- Slang
∞
1.0
46
3.7
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'to express a complaint' is directly and compositionally derivable from combining 'voice' (to express) with 'beef' (an informal complaint); the verb + noun structure clearly indicates the action of expressing a gripe. Although 'beef' is informal/slang, the semantic relation is straightforward and follows common cross-linguistic patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would likely understand it.
Etymology
Voice beef comes from combining voice, meaning to say something, and beef, old slang for a 'complaint'. One popular story says people started calling a strong problem a 'beef', so to voice beef simply means 'to complain'.