Word Study
speak
CIDE DICTIONARY
speak, v. i. [OE. speken, AS. specan, sprecan; akin to OF.ries. spreka, D. spreken, OS. spreken, G. sprechen, OHG. sprehhan, and perhaps to Skr. sph to crackle, to thunder. Cf. Spark of fire, Speech.].
- 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." [1913 Webster]"Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth." [1913 Webster]
- 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." [1913 Webster]"An honest man, is able to speak for himself, when a knave is not." [1913 Webster]"During the century and a half which followed the Conquest, there is, to speak strictly, no English history." [1913 Webster]
- 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." [1913 Webster]
- To discourse; to make mention; to tell. [1913 Webster]"Lycan speaks of a part of Cæsar's army that came to him from the Leman Lake." [1913 Webster]
- To give sound; to sound. [1913 Webster]"Make all our trumpets speak." [1913 Webster]
- To convey sentiments, ideas, or intelligence as if by utterance; as, features that speak of self-will. [1913 Webster]"Thine eye begins to speak." [1913 Webster]
Syn. -- To say; tell; talk; converse; discourse; articulate; pronounce; utter.
speak, v. t.
- To utter with the mouth; to pronounce; to utter articulately, as human beings. [1913 Webster]"They sat down with him upn ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him." [1913 Webster]
- To utter in a word or words; to say; to tell; to declare orally; as, to speak the truth; to speak sense. [1913 Webster]
- To declare; to proclaim; to publish; to make known; to exhibit; to express in any way. [1913 Webster]"It is my father;s muste
To speak your deeds." [1913 Webster]"Speaking a still good morrow with her eyes." [1913 Webster]"And for the heaven's wide circuit, let it speak
The maker's high magnificence." [1913 Webster]"Report speaks you a bonny monk." [1913 Webster] - To talk or converse in; to utter or pronounce, as in conversation; as, to speak Latin. [1913 Webster]"And French she spake full fair and fetisely." [1913 Webster]
- To address; to accost; to speak to. [1913 Webster]"[He will] thee in hope; he will speak thee fair." [1913 Webster]"each village senior paused to scan
And speak the lovely caravan." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
speak, v. (past spoke; past part. spoken)
1 intr. make articulate verbal utterances in an ordinary (not singing) voice.
2 tr. a utter (words). b make known or communicate (one's opinion, the truth, etc.) in this way (never speaks sense).
3 intr. a (foll. by to, with) hold a conversation (spoke to him for an hour; spoke with them about their work). b (foll. by of) mention in writing etc. (speaks of it in his novel). c (foll. by for) articulate the feelings of (another person etc.) in speech or writing (speaks for our generation).
4 intr. (foll. by to) a address; converse with (a person etc.). b speak in confirmation of or with reference to (spoke to the resolution; can speak to his innocence). c colloq. reprove (spoke to them about their lateness).
5 intr. make a speech before an audience etc. (spoke for an hour on the topic; has a good speaking voice).
6 tr. use or be able to use (a specified language) (cannot speak French).
7 intr. (of a gun, a musical instrument, etc.) make a sound.
8 intr. (usu. foll. by to) poet. communicate feeling etc., affect, touch (the sunset spoke to her).
9 intr. (of a hound) bark.
10 tr. hail and hold communication with (a ship).
11 tr. archaic a (of conduct etc.) show (a person) to be (his conduct speaks him generous). b be evidence of (the loud laugh speaks the vacant mind).
1 intr. make articulate verbal utterances in an ordinary (not singing) voice.
2 tr. a utter (words). b make known or communicate (one's opinion, the truth, etc.) in this way (never speaks sense).
3 intr. a (foll. by to, with) hold a conversation (spoke to him for an hour; spoke with them about their work). b (foll. by of) mention in writing etc. (speaks of it in his novel). c (foll. by for) articulate the feelings of (another person etc.) in speech or writing (speaks for our generation).
4 intr. (foll. by to) a address; converse with (a person etc.). b speak in confirmation of or with reference to (spoke to the resolution; can speak to his innocence). c colloq. reprove (spoke to them about their lateness).
5 intr. make a speech before an audience etc. (spoke for an hour on the topic; has a good speaking voice).
6 tr. use or be able to use (a specified language) (cannot speak French).
7 intr. (of a gun, a musical instrument, etc.) make a sound.
8 intr. (usu. foll. by to) poet. communicate feeling etc., affect, touch (the sunset spoke to her).
9 intr. (of a hound) bark.
10 tr. hail and hold communication with (a ship).
11 tr. archaic a (of conduct etc.) show (a person) to be (his conduct speaks him generous). b be evidence of (the loud laugh speaks the vacant mind).
Idiom
not (or nothing) to speak of not (or nothing) worth mentioning; practically not (or nothing). speak for itself need no supporting evidence. speak for oneself
1 give one's own opinions.
2 not presume to speak for others. speak one's mind speak bluntly or frankly. speak out speak loudly or freely, give one's opinion. speak up = speak out. speak volumes (of a fact etc.) be very significant. speak volumes (or well etc.)
) for
1 be abundant evidence of.
2 place in a favourable light.
1 give one's own opinions.
2 not presume to speak for others. speak one's mind speak bluntly or frankly. speak out speak loudly or freely, give one's opinion. speak up = speak out. speak volumes (of a fact etc.) be very significant. speak volumes (or well etc.)
) for
1 be abundant evidence of.
2 place in a favourable light.
Derivative
speakable adj.
Etymology
OE sprecan, later specan
THESAURUS
speak
accost, acquaint, act for, address, admonish, advert to, advertise, advertise of, advise, affect, affirm, allege, allude to, announce, annunciate, apostrophize, appeal to, apprise, approach, argue, articulate, as it were, ask for, assert, assever, asseverate, aver, avouch, avow, bandy words, be in connection, be in contact, beat the drum, beg, bespeak, bespoke, betoken, blurt, blurt out, break silence, brief, bring word, buttonhole, call attention to, call to, cant, chatter, chew the fat, chew the rag, chin, chosen, colloque, colloquialize, colloquize, come out, comment, commerce with, commune with, communicate, communicate with, confab, confabulate, contend, converse, converse with, convey, deal with, declaim, declare, defend, deliver an address, demand, descant, dilate, dip, dip the ensign, disclose, discourse, discourse with, discuss, drawl, dress ship, emit a sound, engaged, enlighten, enunciate, examine, exchange colors, exclaim, expatiate, express, familiarize, figuratively speaking, flag, flag down, flash, gab, gasp, give a signal, give a talk, give notice, give the facts, give the nod, give voice, give word, glance, greet, hail, hail and speak, half-mast, halloo, have, have dealings with, have intercourse, have truck with, hoist a banner, hold, hold communication, indicate, influence, inform, insist, instruct, interchange, intercommunicate, interject, invoke, issue a manifesto, jargon, jargonize, kick, lay down, leave word, lecture, leer, let drop, let fall, let know, maintain, make a noise, make a sign, make a signal, make a sound, make known, make oneself heard, make reference to, manifesto, mention, mention to, mouth, mumble, murmur, muse, mutter, nod, noise, note, notify, nudge, observe, opine, patter, perorate, platform, plead for, poke, profess, pronounce, protest, put, put it, raise a cry, rebuke, recommend, refer to, reflect, remark, report, represent, reprimand, reprove, request, require, reserved, resound, reveal, salute, say, scold, selected, send word, serve notice, set aside, set down, shoot the breeze, shout, sign, signal, signalize, signify, so to speak, soapbox, sound, sound an alarm, sound the trumpet, speak fair, speak for, speak for itself, speak out, speak to, speak up, speak with, speechify, splutter, spout, stand for, stand on, stand up for, state, stick up for, stump, submit, support, symbolize, take a stand, take aside, take counsel with, take the floor, take the stump, talk, talk about, talk to, talk together, tell, touch, touch on, touch upon, traffic with, treat of, unfurl a flag, uphold, use, use language, utter, verbalize, verse, visit with, vocalize, voice, wag the tongue, warn, wave, wave a flag, wave the hand, whisper, winkFor further exploring for "speak" in Webster Dictionary Online
