soapbox
/ˈsəʊpbɒks/ noun, verb
Forms soapboxes soapboxing soapboxed soap box soap-box
- noun (literally) A crate for packing soap.
- noun A small platform, being or resembling a literal soapbox, on which a person stands in order to give an impromptu speech or espouse their views. “The madman obtained a soapbox which he stood on at the corner of Broadway and Wall street, to shout out his prophecy of the end of the world.”
- noun (figuratively, often pejorative) A platform or outlet, such as a media platform, that a person uses to express their opinions. “The politician used Twitter as his soapbox.”
- noun (derogatory, especially in phrases such as 'on/off one's soapbox') A figurative means of talking repeatedly or at length about one's opinions on one's pet topic. “He's been on his soapbox all day about the new football coach.”
- noun (loosely) The topic itself. “His soapbox is the lack of public toilets in the city.”
- noun A soapbox car.
- verb To give a speech from (or as if from) a soapbox.
Synonyms
Etymology
From soap + box. The figurative use of the word derives from the fact that soap products in the US used to be commonly transported to stores in large wooden boxes. It used to be common for individuals to give impromptu rally speeches to their neighbors by finding something to stand on like a soapbox.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 — from the Wiktionary entry “soapbox”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details