To speak out is to say publicly what you think despite the risk. Speak out against the plan, refuse to speak out, brave enough to speak out.
The risk is built into the phrase, which is what separates it from simply speaking. It takes against far more often than for.
1phrasespeak outTo publicly say what you think despite the risk.
“Two of the staff were willing to speak out and the rest were not.”
speak out is a phrase.
Practised in Phrasal Verbs