The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Protest \Pro*test"\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Protested; p. pr. &
   vb. n. Protesting.] [F. protester, L. protestari, pro
   before + testari to be a witness, testis a witness. See
   Testify.]
   1. To affirm in a public or formal manner; to bear witness;
      to declare solemnly; to avow.
      [1913 Webster]

            He protest that his measures are pacific. --Landor.
      [1913 Webster]

            The lady doth protest too much, methinks. --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To make a solemn declaration (often a written one)
      expressive of opposition; -- with against; as, he protest
      against your votes. --Denham.
      [1913 Webster]

            The conscience has power . . . to protest againts
            the exorbitancies of the passions.    --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   Syn: To affirm; asseverate; assert; aver; attest; testify;
        declare; profess. See Affirm.
        [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Protest \Pro*test"\, v. t.
   1. To make a solemn declaration or affirmation of; to
      proclaim; to display; as, to protest one's loyalty.
      [1913 Webster]

            I will protest your cowardice.        --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To call as a witness in affirming or denying, or to prove
      an affirmation; to appeal to.
      [1913 Webster]

            Fiercely [they] opposed
            My journey strange, with clamorous uproar
            Protesting fate supreme.              --Milton.
      [1913 Webster]

   To protest a bill or To protest a note (Law), to make a
      solemn written declaration, in due form, on behalf of the
      holder, against all parties liable for any loss or damage
      to be sustained by the nonacceptance or the nonpayment of
      the bill or note, as the case may be. This should be made
      by a notary public, whose seal it is the usual practice to
      affix. --Kent. --Story.
      [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Protest \Pro"test\, n. [Cf. F. prot[^e]t, It. protesto. See
   Protest, v.]
   1. A solemn declaration of opinion, commonly a formal
      objection against some act; especially, a formal and
      solemn declaration, in writing, of dissent from the
      proceedings of a legislative body; as, the protest of
      lords in Parliament.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. (Law)
      (a) A solemn declaration in writing, in due form, made by
          a notary public, usually under his notarial seal, on
          behalf of the holder of a bill or note, protesting
          against all parties liable for any loss or damage by
          the nonacceptance or nonpayment of the bill, or by the
          nonpayment of the note, as the case may be.
      (b) A declaration made by the master of a vessel before a
          notary, consul, or other authorized officer, upon his
          arrival in port after a disaster, stating the
          particulars of it, and showing that any damage or loss
          sustained was not owing to the fault of the vessel,
          her officers or crew, but to the perils of the sea,
          etc., ads the case may be, and protesting against
          them.
      (c) A declaration made by a party, before or while paying
          a tax, duty, or the like, demanded of him, which he
          deems illegal, denying the justice of the demand, and
          asserting his rights and claims, in order to show that
          the payment was not voluntary. --Story. --Kent.
          [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

protest
    n 1: a formal and solemn declaration of objection; "they
         finished the game under protest to the league president";
         "the senator rose to register his protest"; "the many
         protestations did not stay the execution" [syn: protest,
         protestation]
    2: the act of protesting; a public (often organized)
       manifestation of dissent [syn: protest, objection,
       dissent]
    3: the act of making a strong public expression of disagreement
       and disapproval; "he shouted his protests at the umpire"; "a
       shower of protest was heard from the rear of the hall"
    v 1: utter words of protest
    2: express opposition through action or words; "dissent to the
       laws of the country" [syn: protest, resist, dissent]
    3: affirm or avow formally or solemnly; "The suspect protested
       his innocence"

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

348 Moby Thesaurus words for "protest":
   affirm, affirmance, affirmation, allegation, allege, announce,
   announcement, annunciate, annunciation, argue, assert, assertion,
   assever, asseverate, asseveration, aver, averment, avouch,
   avouchment, avow, avowal, bad debt, ban, bashfulness,
   be at cross-purposes, beef, beefing, bellyache, bellyaching, bitch,
   bitching, blackball, blackballing, boggle, boggling, boycott,
   break bounds, break step, call in question, categorically reject,
   challenge, combat, combative reaction, complain, complain loudly,
   complaining, complaint, compunction, conclusion, confirm, confront,
   contend, contend with, contrariety, counter, counteract,
   counteraction, countervail, counterwork, creed, cross,
   cry out against, declaration, declare, default, defection,
   defiance, delinquence, delinquency, demonstrate,
   demonstrate against, demonstration, demur, demurral, demurrer,
   denial, deny, depose, destructive criticism, deviation, dictum,
   difficulty, diffidence, dim view, disaccord, disaccordance,
   disagree, disagreement, disallow, disappointment, disapprobation,
   disapproval, disapprove, disapprove of, disclaim, disclaimer,
   disconformity, discontent, discontentedness, discontentment,
   disenchantment, disesteem, disfavor, disgruntlement, dishonor,
   dishonoring, disillusion, disillusionment, displeasure, dispute,
   disrespect, dissatisfaction, dissent, dissent from, dissentience,
   distaste, drop out, enter a protest, enunciate, enunciation,
   except, exception, exclude, exclusion, expostulate, expostulation,
   express, face down, face out, face up to, falter, faltering,
   faultfinding, fight, fractiousness, front, frown at, frown down,
   frown upon, go against, grievance, grievance committee, grimace at,
   gripe, griping, groan, groaning, grouse, grousing, grumble,
   grumbling, have, hesitance, hesitancy, hesitation, hold, holler,
   howl, inaccordance, incongruity, inconsistency, indignation,
   indignation meeting, insist, insist on, inveigh against,
   involuntarily, ipse dixit, issue a manifesto, join the opposition,
   kick, kick against, kicking, lay down, levant, look askance at,
   look black upon, low estimation, low opinion, maintain,
   make a stand, make waves, manifesto, march, meet head-on, modesty,
   murmuring, negativism, noncompliance, nonconcurrence, nonconform,
   nonconformance, nonconformism, nonconformity, noncooperation,
   nondischarge of debts, nonobservance, nonpayment, nonremittal,
   nonviolent protest, not abide, not approve, not comply,
   not conform, not go for, not hear of, not hold with, not pay,
   object, object to, objection, obstinacy, offer resistance, oppose,
   opposition, opposure, opt out, originality, ostracism, ostracize,
   passive resistance, pause, peeve, peevishness, pet peeve,
   petulance, picket, picketing, play at cross-purposes, position,
   position paper, positive declaration, predicate, predication,
   press objections, proclaim, proclamation, profess, profession,
   pronounce, pronouncement, proposition, protest demonstration,
   protestation, protested bill, put, put it, qualm,
   qualm of conscience, qualmishness, querulousness, question,
   raise a howl, rally, reaction, rebuff, recalcitrance,
   recalcitrancy, recalcitrate, recalcitration, recoil, recusance,
   recusancy, refractoriness, refuse to pay, reject, rejection,
   reluct, reluctance, reluctantly, remonstrance, remonstrate,
   remonstration, renitence, renitency, repellence, repellency,
   repudiate, repudiation, repulse, repulsion, resist, resistance,
   revolt, rock the boat, run against, run counter to, say, say no to,
   say-so, saying, scolding, scruple, scrupulosity, scrupulousness,
   set down, show fight, shrinking, shyness, sit in, sit-in, sniping,
   speak, speak out, speak up, squawk, squawking, stance, stand,
   stand at bay, stand for, stand on, stand up against, stand up to,
   state, statement, stickling, stop payment, strike, strive against,
   submit, take exception, take exception to, take issue with,
   teach in, teach-in, think ill of, think little of, thumb down,
   thumbs-down, traverse, uncollectible, unconformity,
   uncooperativeness, under protest, unhappiness, unwillingly,
   utterance, view with disfavor, vote against, vouch, welsh, whining,
   withstand, withstanding, word, yapping, yell bloody murder



Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):

PROTEST, mar. law. A writing, attested by a justice of the peace or a
consul, drawn by the master of a vessel, stating the severity of a voyage by
which a ship has suffered, and showing it was not owing to the neglect or
misconduct of the master. Vide Marsh. Ins. 715, 716. See 1 Wash. C. R. 145;
Id. 238; Id. 408, n.; 1 Pet. C. R. 119; 1 Dall. 6; Id. 10; Id. 317; 2 Dall.
195; 3 Watts & Serg. 144; 3 Binn. 228, n.; 1 Yeates, 261.



Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):

PROTEST, legislation. A declaration made by one or more members of a
legislative body that they do not agree with some act or resolution of the
body; it is usual to add the reasons which the protestants have for such a
dissent.



Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):

PROTEST, contracts. A notarial act, made for want of payment of a promissory
note, or for want of acceptance or payment of a bill of exchange, by a
notary public, in which it is declared that all parties to such instruments
will be held responsible to the holder for all damages, exchanges,
reexchanges, &c.
     2. There are two kinds of protest, namely, protest for non-acceptance,
and protest for non-payment. When a protest is made and notice of the non-
payment or non-acceptance given to the parties in proper time, they will be
held responsible. 3 Kent, Com. 63; Chit. on Bills, 278; 3 Pardes. n. 418 to
441; Merl. Repert. h.t.; COID. Dig. Merchant, F 8, 9, 10; Bac. Ab. Merchant,
&c. M 7.
     3. There is also a species of protest, common in England, which is
called protest for better security. It may be made when a merchant who has
accepted a bill becomes insolvent, or is publicly reported to have failed in
his credit, or absents himself from change, before the bill he has accepted
becomes due, or when the holder has any just reason to suppose it will not
be paid; and on demand the acceptor refuses to give it. Notice of such
protest must, as in other cases, be sent by the first post. 1 Ld. Raym. 745;
Mar. 27.
     4. In making the protest, three things are to be done: the noting;
demanding acceptance or payment or, as above, better security and drawing up
the protest. 1. The noting, (q.v.) is unknown to the law as distinguished
from the protest. 2. The demand, (q.v.) which must be made by a person
having authority to receive the money. 3. The drawing up of the protest,
which is a mere matter of form. Vide Acceptance; Bills of Exchange.