A protestation is a strong spoken claim that something is true, or that it is not true, when other people think the opposite. It is almost never about standing in the street with a sign. It is about words: you keep saying you are innocent, that you love someone, or that you did not do the thing they accuse you of.

A protestation is a strong spoken claimprotestation 是一種強烈的口頭聲明 that something is true, or that it is not true聲明某件事是真的，或不是真的， when other people think the opposite而當時其他人卻認為相反。 It is almost never about standing in the street with a sign它幾乎不是指站在街上舉牌子。 It is about words它說的是言語： you keep saying you are innocent你一直說自己是清白的、 that you love someone說你愛某個人、 or that you did not do the thing they accuse you of或是你沒有做他們指控你做的事。

The word is formal, a little old-fashioned, and still common in news and stories, especially in the set phrase protestations of innocence — meaning you keep telling people you did nothing wrong while they are not sure. Though actually, it can also be a firm denial: you protest that a story is false.

The word is formal, a little old-fashioned這個字很正式，也有點過時， and still common in news and stories但在新聞和故事裡還是很常見， especially in the set phrase protestations of innocence尤其是在「protestations of innocence」這個固定片語裡 —— meaning you keep telling people you did nothing wrong意思是你一直告訴大家自己沒有做錯事 while they are not sure而別人並不確定。 Though actually不過其實， it can also be a firm denial它也可以是強硬的否認： you protest that a story is false你堅稱一個說法是假的。

The feeling is that you are pushing back with speech, not with a crowd.

The feeling is那種感覺是 that you are pushing back你在反擊 with speech用言語， not with a crowd而不是靠一群人。