Hoarse voice
Meaning
A voice that sounds rough, strained, or breathy, often due to a sore throat, overuse, or illness.
Origin
Imagine an Anglo-Saxon warrior, weary from battle or chilled by a long winter, trying to rally his troops—his voice, a gravelly whisper instead of a booming command. The word "hoarse" itself is a linguistic echo from that ancient world, directly stemming from the Old English hās, which painted a vivid picture of a rough, grating sound, often battling a cough or a cold. It's a term so fundamental that it finds cousins in Old Norse, háss, carrying the same raw, strained vocal quality. Thus, "hoarse voice" isn't some complex idiom; it's a direct, centuries-old description, a testament to how humans have always struggled with and articulated the distinct, unpleasant sound of a voice worn thin by illness, overuse, or the chill of the elements.
Examples
- After shouting all night at the concert, she woke up with a painfully hoarse voice.
- The politician's hoarse voice was a clear sign of the grueling campaign trail he had endured.