/ spiːk; NAmE / verb
( spoke / spəʊk; NAmE spoʊk/ spoken / ˈspəʊkən; NAmE ˈspoʊ-/)
HAVE CONVERSATION
1.
[ v ] speak (to sb) (about sth/sb) | speak (with sb) (about sth/sb) to talk to sb about sth; to have a conversation with sb :
I've spoken to the manager about it.
The President refused to speak to the waiting journalists.
( especially NAmE )
Can I speak with you for a minute?
'Can I speak to Susan?' 'Speaking.' (= at the beginning of a telephone conversation)
'Do you know him?' 'Not to speak to.' (= only by sight)
I saw her in the street but we didn't speak.
USE VOICE
2.
[ v ] to use your voice to say sth :
He can't speak because of a throat infection.
Please speak more slowly.
Without speaking, she stood up and went out.
He speaks with a strange accent.
She has a beautiful speaking voice.
MENTION / DESCRIBE
3.
[ v ] speak of / about sth/sb to mention or describe sth/sb :
She still speaks about him with great affection.
Witnesses spoke of a great ball of flame.
Speaking of travelling, (= referring back to a subject just mentioned) are you going anywhere exciting this year?
A LANGUAGE
4.
[ vn ] (not used in the progressive tenses) to be able to use a particular language :
to speak several languages
to speak a little Urdu
Do you speak English?
5.
to use a particular language to express yourself :
[ vn ]
What language is it they're speaking?
[ v ]
Would you prefer it if we spoke in German?
-SPEAKING
6.
(in adjectives) speaking the language mentioned :
French-speaking Canada
non-English-speaking students
-SPEAK
7.
(in nouns) ( informal , often disapproving ) the language or jargon of a particular group, organization or subject :
computerspeak
eurospeak
MAKE SPEECH
8.
[ v , usually + adv. / prep. ] to make a speech to an audience :
to speak in public
to speak on the radio
to speak at a conference
Professor Wilson was invited to speak about the results of his research.
She spoke in favour of the new tax.
He has a number of speaking engagements this week.
SAY / STATE
9.
[ vn ] to say or state sth :
She was clearly speaking the truth .
He spoke the final words of the play.
—see also spoken
•
IDIOMS
- be on speaking terms (with sb) | be speaking (to sb)
- generally, broadly, roughly, relatively, etc. speaking
- no ... / nothing to speak of
- so to speak
- speak for itself / themselves
- speak for myself / herself / himself, etc.
- speak for yourself
- speaking as sth
- speak your mind
- speak out of turn
- speak volumes (about / for sth/sb)
- speak well / ill of sb
—more at action noun , devil , fact , ill noun , language , manner , strictly , turn noun
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- speak for sb
- speak of sth
- speak out (against sth)
- speak to sb (about sth)
- speak up
- speak up (for sb/sth)
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English sprecan , later specan , of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch spreken and German sprechen .