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speak |
3 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: 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. Till at the last spake in this manner. --Chaucer. Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth. --1 Sam. iii. 9. 2. To express opinions; to say to talk; to converse. That fluid substance in a few minutes begins to set as the tradesmen speak. --Boyle. An honest man, is able to speak for himself, when a knave is not --Shak. During the century and a half which followed the Conquest, there is to speak strictly, no English history. --Macaulay. 3. To utter a speech, discourse, or harangue; to adress a public assembly formally. Many of the nobility made themselves popular by speaking in Parliament against those things which were most grateful to his majesty. --Clarendon. 4. To discourse; to make mention; to tell Lycan speaks of a part of C[ae]sar's army that came to him from the Leman Lake. --Addison. 5. To give sound; to sound. Make all our trumpets speak. --Shak. 6. To convey sentiments, ideas, or intelligence as if by utterance; as features that speak of self-will. Thine eye begins to speak. --Shak. {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 well for}, to commend; to be favorable to {To speak with}, to converse with ``Would you speak with me?'' --Shak. Syn: To say tell talk; converse; discourse; articulate; pronounce; utter. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Speak \Speak\, v. t. 1. To utter with the mouth; to pronounce; to utter articulately, as human beings. They sat down with him upn ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him --Job. ii 13. 2. To utter in a word or words to say to tell to declare orally; as to speak the truth; to speak sense 3. To declare; to proclaim; to publish; to make known to exhibit; to express in any way It is my father;s muste To speak your deeds. --Shak. Speaking a still good morrow with her eyes. --Tennyson. And for the heaven's wide circuit, let it speak The maker's high magnificence. --Milton. Report speaks you a bonny monk. --Sir W. Scott. 4. To talk or converse in to utter or pronounce, as in conversation; as to speak Latin. And French she spake full fair and fetisely. --Chaucer. 5. To address; to accost; to speak to [He will] thee in hope; he will speak thee fair. --Ecclus. xiii. 6. each village senior paused to scan And speak the lovely caravan. --Emerson. {To speak a ship} (Naut.), to hail and speak to her captain or commander. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: speak v 1: express in speech; "She talks a lot of nonsense" [syn: {talk}, {utter}, {mouth}, {verbalize}] 2: exchange thoughts; talk with "We often talk business"; also used metaphorically: "Actions talk louder than words" [syn: {talk}] 3: use language: "the baby talks already"; "the prisoner won't speak"; "they speak a strange dialect" [syn: {talk}] 4: give a speech to "The chairman addressed the board of trustees" [syn: {address}] 5: make a characteristic or natural sound; "The drums spoke"
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