Speak Speak, v. i. [imp. {Spoke}({Spake}Archaic); p. p. {Spoken}({Spoke}, Obs. or Colloq.); p. pr. & vb. n. {Speaking}.] [OE. speken, AS. specan, sprecan; akin to OF.ries. spreka, D. spreken, OS. spreken, G. sprechen, OHG. sprehhan, and perhaps to Skr. sph[=u]rj to crackle, to thunder. Cf. {Spark} of fire, {Speech}.] 1. To utter words or articulate sounds, as human beings; to express thoughts by words; as, the organs may be so obstructed that a man may not be able to speak. [1913 Webster]

Till at the last spake in this manner. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth. --1 Sam. iii. 9. [1913 Webster]

2. To express opinions; to say; to talk; to converse. [1913 Webster]

That fluid substance in a few minutes begins to set, as the tradesmen speak. --Boyle. [1913 Webster]

An honest man, is able to speak for himself, when a knave is not. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

During the century and a half which followed the Conquest, there is, to speak strictly, no English history. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster]

3. To utter a speech, discourse, or harangue; to adress a public assembly formally. [1913 Webster]

Many of the nobility made themselves popular by speaking in Parliament against those things which were most grateful to his majesty. --Clarendon. [1913 Webster]

4. To discourse; to make mention; to tell. [1913 Webster]

Lycan speaks of a part of C[ae]sar's army that came to him from the Leman Lake. --Addison. [1913 Webster]

5. To give sound; to sound. [1913 Webster]

Make all our trumpets speak. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

6. To convey sentiments, ideas, or intelligence as if by utterance; as, features that speak of self-will. [1913 Webster]

Thine eye begins to speak. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

{To speak of}, to take account of, to make mention of. --Robynson (More's Utopia).

{To speak out}, to speak loudly and distinctly; also, to speak unreservedly.


{To speak with}, to converse with. ``Would you speak with me?'' --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Syn: To say; tell; talk; converse; discourse; articulate; pronounce; utter. [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • spoke — be·spoke; spoke; spoke·less; …   English syllables

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