find one’s voice—
1. (also: find one’s tongue) be able to speak again after a shock, horror, etc. which has left one speechless:
- From his seat in the corner, Dave finally found his voice. “What happened? And when?”
2. (of a writer, painter, etc.) become truly creative and develop a style of one’s own:
- Andy had found his voice as a composer, of course, but also as a teacher and as an administrator.
lose one’s voice—be hardly able to speak, especially due to having a sore throat:
- After a mild cold earlier this week I was feeling better but overnight I lost my voice—I could barely talk at all today.
Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase lose one’s tongue—be left speechless with shock, horror, etc.:
- Now he seems to have lost his tongue, he can’t seem to get out the words his supporters are urging him to say.