speak against

Related to speak against: in turn, run by, fall short, in midst, refer to, proceed with

speak against (someone or something)

1. To vocalize one's criticisms of or arguments against someone or something. A number of former employees have banded together to speak against the immoral practices of the pharmaceutical company. The activist was jailed for speaking against the government. More and more people are speaking against the dangers of dependency on fossil fuels.
2. To represent or evince a very critical or negative portrait of or opinion against someone or something. The long wait times, high prices, and mediocre food all speak against the trendy new restaurant in my eyes. I think the sluggish growth in the economy really speaks against the government's burdensome policies.
See also: speak
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

speak against someone or something

 
1. to criticize someone or something. Many people are speaking against the mayor. she will not be reelected. Please don't speak against cats in my presence.
2. to testify or argue against someone or something. Judy spoke against the candidate at length. The next speaker spoke against nuclear waste.
See also: speak
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • fortify (someone or something) against (something) with (something)
  • avenge (oneself) against (someone or something)
  • get up against
  • get up against (someone or something)
  • clash
  • clash against
  • clash against (someone or something)
  • against
  • against (someone or something)
  • compete
References in periodicals archive
'The army has rendered a number of sacrifices but here people like to speak against the armed forces.
HRCP sees dismal situation of democratic practices in Pakistan
On this day, you must resolve to speak out, you must resolve to speak against evil on our land.
We have failed Nigerian womenaSecondus
MQM lawmaker Heer Soho said that it is the right of Khan Sahab to speak against corrupt and incompetent people in the parliament but not against the entire democratic setup.
SA passes resolutions against Imran, Rasheed
Pro-government MP Saadun Hammad, who backs the law, said: "In some Arab countries, people who speak against the head of state disappear.
KUWAIT - Jun 3 - Mps Endorse Law To Combat Electronic Crimes
Kharge argued that members have a right to speak against the PM as he is the Leader of the House.
Speaker reconsiders expunging remark
Over the last year, they found people to speak against the GE-len movement.
Pro-government media vindicates ISIL member
aI heard (BSP MP) Yavor Koyumdzhiev on TV this morning to openly speak against the EU.
Opposition GERB To Table Fifth No Confidence Vote
Russia and China speak against the policy of the expansion of military alliances and the deployment of missile defense systems on a bloc basis, and also the "attempt by some states to ensure security at the expense of other states," Lavrov said.
Russia, China Condemn West's Missile Shield Program
Raghda said that she did not speak against the Egyptian revolution, and that it was unfair to be punished for something she did not do.
Singer Raghda defends herself
According to Anastasovska, the latest polls show that instead of spreading our horizons, we support religious values, we divide ourselves according to our ethnic background, we speak against abortion, we spread homophobia and we still estimate that the woman should remain a housewife.
"Conserved" towards Europe
The Formby dad-of-two is due to speak against Mr Nadim over allegations of sexual discrimination against two former female employees who quit the firm in September last year.
Lawyer vows to clear name
We went to the city council planning committee to speak against it, as did many of our neighbours.
Public inquiry; emails &letters
Nano origins: Took off in the 1970s but probably began in the late 1950s when US physicist Richard Feynman famously declared: "The principles of physics, as far as I can see, do not speak against the possibility of manoeuvring things atom by atom."
A short guide to nano
The campaigners gathered outside Transport House on Cathedral Road, Cardiff - the home of the capital's Labour Party - for an hour yesterday to speak against the Echo-backed Metrix development at St Athan.
Cluster bomb anger
(A) I feel it is every citizen's responsibility to speak out for what they think is right and speak against what they think is wrong.
Putting the web to work for Darfur