I. ˈspēk verb
( spoke ˈspōk ; or archaic spake ˈspāk ; or dialect British spak ˈspak ; spo·ken ˈspōkən sometimes -k ə ŋ ; or archaic spoke or dialect British spak ; speaking ; speaks )
Etymology: Middle English speken, from Old English sprecan, specan; akin to Old High German sprehhan to speak, Greek spharageisthai to crackle, Sanskrit sphūrjati it roars, crackles
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to utter words or articulate sounds with the ordinary modulation of the voice : talk
swallowed once or twice before she was able to speak — Mary Austin
does not find it necessary to speak … at the top of his lungs — B.R.Redman
b.
(1) : to give oral expression to thoughts, opinions, or feelings : engage in talk or conversation
not for three years to speak with any men — Alfred Tennyson
why don't you speak for yourself — H.W.Longfellow
(2) : to extend a greeting
are embarrassed … and they often blush when spoken to on the street — Carl Withers
(3) : to be on speaking terms
still are speaking after a quarter century of collaboration — Lewis Nichols
(4) : to give a rebuke or reprimand
promised to speak to the boy about his laziness
c.
(1) : to express one's views before a group : make a talk or address
spoke from one end of the state to the other during the campaign
spoke to the club on gardening
(2) : to address one's remarks — usually used with to
I should like to speak to the nominations — Report: Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey
2.
a. : to give written expression to thoughts, opinions, or feelings : make a written statement
as a writer of great talent he speaks with clarity and eloquence — R.K.Carr
these lines … speak of the saddest thing we know — H.A.Overstreet
b. : to express oneself
science speaks in the conventionalized precision of mathematical language — T.H.Littlefield
— often used in the phrase so to speak
here he was at the enemy's gates, so to speak — C.S.Forester
c. : to serve as spokesman
associations presuming to speak for higher education — J.K.Little
the dominant interests of the electorate for whom they speak — Cabell Phillips
writers … speak for their age — Caroline Gordon
3.
a. : to give expression to thoughts, opinions, or feelings by other than verbal means
eyes that speak too plainly — W.S.Gilbert
she said nothing at all but her strong fingers spoke for her — Louis Bromfield
actions speak louder than words
b. : to communicate by signals : signal
our steamer spoke in a short, sharp blast — William Beebe
c. : to communicate by being interesting or attractive : appeal
great music … is intelligible to children since it speaks directly to the emotions — A.N.Whitehead
nature speaks to us … through our senses — Susanne K. Langer
4.
a. : to make a request : ask
suppose you speak for tea — Jane Austen
b. : to place an order
among the companies which have spoken for these later models — Horace Sutton
5.
a. : to make a characteristic or natural sound or noise
and let the kettle to the trumpet speak — Shakespeare
all at once the thunder spoke — George Meredith
b. : to produce a musical sound readily and clearly
discovered that the saxophone speaks easily — Deems Taylor
c. : to emit a sound on being fired
the big guns that spoke so thunderously that wild night — H.L.Merillat
d. of a hound : to give tongue : bark , bay
6.
a. : to bear witness : testify
if his trial is held in absentia his dossier will speak in his defense — Kay Boyle
how the old tub took those tossing seas … spoke well for her builders — H.A.Chippendale
b. : to give proof or evidence : be indicative or suggestive
his gold … spoke of riches in the land — Julian Dana
schools and museums all speak of the past — D.W.Brogan
c. : to serve as a symbol
the acres of white marble … speak for the purity of justice — John Mason Brown
d. : augur
his thrift and industry speak well for his future
transitive verb
1.
a.
(1) : to utter articulately and with ordinary modulation of the voice : pronounce
once the words were spoken she was sorry — Carson McCullers
speak the speech I pray you … trippingly on the tongue — Shakespeare
(2) : to give a recitation of : declaim
little girls who were going to speak pieces, fluttering about in white dresses — Della Lutes
b. : to make known by speech : express orally : declare
the English clergy spoke their mind very freely on the subject — L.F.Salzman
c.
(1) archaic : to engage in talk or conversation with
speaking him in that … tongue — P.J.Bailey
(2) : address , accost — usually used with fair
a stranger came to the door at eve and … spoke the bridegroom fair — Robert Frost
d. : to make communication with : hail
when you pass other yachts speak them — H.A.Calahan
2.
a. : to make known in writing : state
letting the Bible speak its message to them — J.C.Swaim
in this passage the man himself is speaking … his innermost convictions — H.O.Taylor
b. obsolete : to make reference to : mention
speak me to her in the best language of affection — Robert Loveday
c. : to serve as spokesman for : represent
the municipal council … had ceased to speak the sense of the citizens — T.B.Macaulay
3. : to use or have the ability to use in talk or conversation
has lived there and speaks both Spanish and Portuguese — H.G.Doyle
4.
a. : to make known by other than verbal means : reveal
his eager smile … spoke devotion — Hugh Walpole
what color means, color alone can speak — Louise Nicholl
b. : to give proof or evidence of : indicate , suggest
his various addictions … speak the amateur — F.R.Leavis
c. archaic : to demonstrate clearly or undeniably : proclaim
his whole person … speaks him a man of quality — Richard Steele
d. : to announce by making a characteristic or natural sound
these trumpets speak his presence — Nicholas Rowe
the tower-clock spoke night — Henry Treece
5. : to make a request of : ask
we'd like to speak some friendly wraith to tell us news — Bookman
6. archaic
a. : designate , call
may'st thou live ever spoken our protector — John Fletcher
b. : to give a description of : depict
to speak him true … no keener hunter after glory breathes — Alfred Tennyson
7. : to have the significance of : signify
another long passage that speaks volumes for the formalist viewpoint — Hunter Mead
8. : to bring into a specified state or position by or as if by speech
spoke himself into the common council — New Monthly Magazine
Synonyms:
talk , converse : speak is a general term of wide application. It may on occasion differ from talk in suggesting a weighty formality
speak at a university commencement
speaking as a guest of honor
talk in general may suggest less formality and is likely to implicate auditors or interlocutors
we talk in the bosom of our family in a way different from that in which we discourse on state occasions — J.L.Lowes
converse may imply interchange of opinions and ideas
don't ever remember hearing my parents converse, and they never even chatted. My father would expound on law and ritual, my mother would listen — S.N.Behrman
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- to speak of
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English speke, from speken to speak
chiefly Scotland : speech , talk
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: by shortening
: speakeasy
there would be token raids now and then but the speak usually opened the next day — C.B.Davis