SPEAK

v. 1 talk, converse, discourse We were not allowed to speak during lessons 2 talk to, converse or discourse with, address, say (something or) anything to She was speaking quietly to the children That is no way to speak to your elders. 3 talk, communicate in, discourse or converse in, communicate in, utter in, articulate in, use Can you really speak Chinese? 4 express, utter, say, state, tell, pronounce, enunciate, voice; articulate, make known, communicate, reveal, indicate He is speaking the truth 5 symbolize, betoken, signify, communicate, convey, indicate Her refusal to return your love-letters speaks volumes 6 so to speak. as it were, in a manner of speaking, figuratively or metaphorically (speaking) When it comes to employee benefits, the boss is Scrooge himself, so to speak 7 speak for. a support, uphold, defend, stand up for, plead for, make a plea for, recommend, Colloq stick up for Be quiet and let Simon speak for himself b act on or in behalf of, act for, represent, act as agent for He is speaking for the whole staff when he expresses worries about the cuts c demand, require, beg, request, ask for The situation speaks urgently for an effective drug rehabilitation programme 8 speak for itself. be self-evident, be obvious, be significant The fact that both your son and the ring are missing speaks for itself 9 speak of. mention, advert to, allude to, refer to, make reference to, comment on, speak or talk about I begged you not to speak of her again in my presence 10 speak on. discuss, address, discourse upon or on, speak to, treat (of), deal with, examine, touch upon or on In his presentation Dr Andrews spoke on the role of natural predators in pest control 11 speak out or up. a talk (more) loudly or clearly, make oneself heard I cannot hear you unless you speak up a bit b talk freely or unreservedly, express one's opinion, speak one's mind, declare, come out, state one's position, take a stand I heard a mother of ten speak out against birth control 12 speak to. a reprove, scold, reprimand, rebuke, admonish, warn, lecture After his father spoke to him, Nicholas stopped staying out so late b be meaningful to, appeal to, influence, affect, touch Constance's poetry effectively speaks to the heart c accost, address, talk to, Formal apostrophize I have to speak to the teacher after class d See 10, above. 13 spoken for. reserved, engaged, bespoke, set aside, accounted for, chosen, selected I'm afraid that the purple dress has already been spoken for, madam