soap´box´er

soap|box «SOHP _BOKS», noun, plural -box|es, verb, adjective.

–n.

1. a box, especially of wood, in which soap is or used to be packed.

2. an empty box used as a temporary platform by speakers addressing gatherings on the streets: »

[He] declared that “religion has an important contribution to make to political life” but that “a pulpit must never degenerate into a soapbox” (New York Times).

–v.i.

to address an audience on the public street: »

Excitedly, he joined picket lines and soapboxed at bread lines (Time).

–adj.

of or characteristic of a speaker on a soapbox; that agitates: »

soapbox oratory. Here soapbox orators were allowed to rant about everything from politics to the government ban on betel-nut chewing (Newsweek).

╂[American English < soap + box]

–soap´box´er, noun.