speak

▪ I. speak, n. Chiefly Sc. and north.
    (spiːk)
    Forms: 3–5 speke (4 spece), 4–5 spek, 5 Sc. speike (9 speik), 6–7 speake, 8– speak.
    [Partly the northern form of ME. spēche (OE. spǽc, sprǽc) speech n.¹; partly, in later use, f. speak v.
    In Laȝamon 1971, Owl & N. 13, and Rob. Glouc. 8535, 8643, the forms speke and spek have obviously been miswritten for spech(e through being mistaken for parts of the verb.]
    † 1. a. The action of speaking; also, manner of speaking. Obs.

a 1300 Cursor M. 13260 He sermund wit his loueli spek. c 1300 Havelok 946 Of alle men was he mest meke, Lauhwinde ay, and bliþe of speke. 1375 Barbour Bruce i. 393 In spek wlispyt he sum deill. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xxvii. (Machor) 1164 With þis of spek he mad ending. c 1450 Holland Howlat 242 All apperit to the Pape,..Salust his sanctitud with spirituale speike.

    † b. The power or faculty of speech. Obs.

a 1300 Cursor M. 24320 Als ded þai war, wit-vten speke. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints Prol. 122 As to deff men gyfand herynge,..and spek till oþer at war dum.

    † c. A language. Obs.

a 1300 Cursor M. 2267 Þar war al þe speces delt Þat now ouer-alle þe werld er melt.

    2. a. Talk, discourse, conversation.

a 1300 Cursor M. 2618 Wit hir sli spece gun he spell. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints ii. (Paul) 301 With wismen þare-of [Nero] had spek. 1886 Willock Rosetty Ends xii. (1887) 88 The affair caused a hantle o' speak.

    b. With a, the, this, etc., or possessive pronouns.

a 1300 Cursor M. 12197 Ihesus þan folud on his speke, And þus began his resun eke. c 1300 Havelok 1065 Þoruth England yede þe speke [MS. speche], Hw he was strong, and ek meke. 1375 Barbour Bruce i. 72 Thai all concordyt, That all thar spek suld be recordyt Till Schyr Eduuard. a 1400–50 Alexander 3318 With þis speke at he spake þe sprete he ȝeldis. a 1779 D. Graham Writ. (1883) II. 209, I maun hae..a quiet speak to hersel about it. 1790 Shirrefs Poems 247 Only foes to common sense Frae sic a speak can tak' offence. 1819 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd (1827) 5 Notin' down within thy book Ilk motion, gesture, speik, and look. 1883– in dial. glossaries, etc. (Yks., Westmld., Linc., Berks.).

    † c. a great speak, an important statement. Obs.

1587 Golding De Mornay xxiv. (1596) 366 They thinke themselues to haue made a greate speake, and hard to be resolued.

    3. A formal discourse; a speech.

1567 Drant Horace, Ep., Arte Poet. A vij, A solemne speake, mete for great things. 1576 G. Pettie Petite Pallace 89 b, Before hym Aristotle..maketh a great speake, saying [etc.]. 1600 O.E. Repl. to Libel i. i. 9 Nor doth he applie his common place to his purpose, but leaueth it..without any coherence to the rest of his long speake. 1610 R. Davies in Chester's Triumph (Chetham Soc.) C 3 b, Is it not harsh to heare a Marmeset squeake Vpon a stage a most vnioynted speake? 1791 J. Learmont Poems 30 Their unco speaks o' sax hours lang.

    4. Cant. (See quot.) Obs.^—0

1811 Lexicon Balatronicum s.v. Speak, He has made a good speak; he has stolen something considerable. 1812 J. H. Vaux Flash Dict., Speak, committing any robbery, is called making a speak; and if it has been productive you are said to have made a rum speak.

    5. = speakeasy. slang

1930 Bookman (U.S.) LXXII. 398/1 Better grade speaks in Times Square are dispensing with femme shills and hangers-out. 1952 [see open a. 2 c]. 1977 H. Fast Immigrants iv. 242 We're just lucky it happened in a speak, because maybe no one will bring any charges.

▪ II. speak, v.
    (spiːk)
    Forms: (see below).
    [OE. sprecan (pa. tense spræc, sprǽcon, pa. pple. ᵹesprecen), = OFris. spreka (WFris. sprekke, NFris. spreek, spreeg), MDu. (and Du.) spreken, OS. sprekan (MLG. and LG. spreken), OHG. sprehhan (MHG. and G. sprechen); not recorded in Gothic, and absent in older Scand., the obs. Da. sprecke, sprække, Icel. spreka, being adoptions from LG.
    The later OE. specan became common in the 11th cent., and forms with r app. did not survive in actual use beyond the middle of the 12th cent. A similar elision of the r appears very rarely in MDu. speken, OHG. spehhan.]
    A. Illustration of Forms.
    1. inf. (α) 1 sprecan, spreocan, spræcan; north. spreca, spræca, -spreaca; sprecca, spræcca; 2 sprecon.

c 825 Vesp. Hymns iv, Nyllað ᵹemoniᵹfaldian spreocan. c 897 K. ælfred Gregory's Past. C. 89 [Hie] ne durron..sprecan. a 900 in O.E. Texts 178 Hu meahte ic..her spræcan? c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. x. 19 Huætt ᵹe spreca scilo. Ibid. 20 Huæt ᵹie sprecca scilon. c 1075 O.E. Chron. (Parker MS.) an. 1070, Umbe þæt hi sprecan woldon. a 1122 Ibid. (Laud MS.) an. 1114, He wolde sprecon mid him.

    (β) 1 specan (2 -on), 1–2 specen, 2–5 speken (3 Orm. spekenn), 5 spekyn; 1–2 spæcon, 2 -en, 3 spæ(c)ken; 2–3 speoken.

c 1000 in Assmann Ags. Hom. xviii. 55 Hy..wið hi specan woldon. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. xii. 46 Secende spæcon [c 1160 Hatton spæcen] to him. c 1120 O.E. Chron. (MS. H) an. 1113, Swa þæt hiᵹ uneaðe specon mihton. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 35 Ȝif he mihte speken. Ibid. 89 Heo..on⁓gunnen to speoken. c 1205 Lay. 14758 He wold spæcken heom wið. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 3400 Ðo cam ietro..To speken him. a 1425 Cursor M. 20025 (Trin.), I bigon hir worshepe speken. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 468/1 Spekyn, loquor.

    (γ) 3–6 speke, 4–6 spek, 4 spec, speck, 5 speike, 6–7 speake, 6–8 Sc. speik, 6– speak (Ir. 8–9 spake).

a 1250 Owl & Night. 261 Let me speke. a 1300 Cursor M. 24795 (Edinb.), For to spek about sum pais. 13.. Ibid. 19176 (Gött.), Quilis þai suld samen speck. c 1400 Destr. Troy 4976 By course for to speike. 1483 Cath. Angl. 353/1 To Speke,..loqui. 1535 Coverdale Isaiah lxvi. 19 The Iles..that haue not herde speake of me. 1586 Ld. Burghley in Leycester Corr. (Camden) 450 Some spek of namyng the count Morrice. 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. 95 Na man sall speik. a 1700 in Cath. Rec. Soc. Publ. IX. 362 She could not speake french. 1762 Foote Orator ii, By my shoul but I will spake.

    2. pres. tense sing. (Early contracted forms.) a. 2nd pers. (α) 1 sprycst, 1–2 sprecst, 2 spræcst. (β) 1 spycst, 2 spæcst, 3 spekst, 3–4 spext.

α 971 Blickl. Hom. 183 Forhwon ne sprecst þu? c 1000 Ags. Gosp. John iv. 27 Hwæt sprycst [c 1160 Hatton sprecst] þu wið hiᵹ? c 1160 Hatton Gosp. John xix. 10 Hwi ne spræcst þu wið me.

β c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. xiii. 10 For hwiᵹ spycst [c 1160 Hatton spæcst] þu..mid biᵹ-spellum? a 1272 in O.E. Misc. 98 Hwat spekstu of eny stone. c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 128 Þov spext ase a fol. c 1320 in Rel. Antiq. I. 265 Ȝef thou with dede mon spext.

    b. 3rd pers. (α) 1 sprycð, 1–2 spricð, sprecð, 2 spræcð. (β) 1 spycð, spycþ, 2–4 specþ, specð (2 specd), 3 spechð, 3–4 spekþ, 4 spekth.

α c 897 K. ælfred Gregory's Past. C. 380 Ðæs monnes saul þe wel spricð. 971 Blickl. Hom. 55 Se þa soþfæstnesse..sprecþ. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. John vii. 18 Se þe be him sylium sprycð [c 1160 Hatton spræcð].

β c 1000 Ags. Gosp. John vii. 26 Nu he spycþ openlice. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 51 Dauid specð..sume of þe wordes. a 1250 Owl & Night. 1072 Wel viht þat wel spekþ. 1340 Ayenb. 126 Huanne he specþ of þise..uirtues. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 366 Solyns spekth of a wonder kinde.

    3. pa. tense. a. sing. (α) 1 sprec, 1–2 spræc (1 spræcc), 2 spreac.

c 825 Vesp. Psalter xcviii. 7 In syle wolcnes [he] sprec to him. a 900 in O.E. Texts 178 He spræc to his liornæra sumum. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Luke ix. 11 [He] spræcc him of ric godes. a 1122 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1083, Þe abbot..spræc uppon þa munecas. 1131 Ibid. an. 1131, Se abbot..spreac mid þone kyng.

    (β) 1–3 spæc, 2–4 spec, spek, 4–5 speck.

a 1000 Psalm l. 30 Dauid..ðus wordum spæc. a 1122 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1046, Sweᵹen..spec wið his feder. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 73 Of ileue spek ure drihten. c 1205 Lay. 12655 He..of gode spæc swide wel. a 1225 Leg. Kath. 308 Hwil þet ha spek þus. c 1307 Elegy Death Edw. I, vi, The pope..spec a word of gret honour. 13.. K. Horn 600 An hound.. spek wordes bolde.

    (γ) 2–5 spac (3 Orm. spacc), 4–5, Sc. and dial. 7– spack, 5 spacke, spakke, 3–5, Sc. and north. 6– spak, 9 Sc. spak'.

a 1154 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1140, Þe biscop..spac wid Rodbert. c 1200 Ormin 224 Spacc he nohht wiþþ tunge. a 1250 Owl & Night. 396 Ho spak boþe right & red. a 1300 Cursor M. 12005 Sum him..spack o prise. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 312 Many þinges þat God spac not. c 1400 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton, 1483) i. xvi. 14 These wordys whiche..the juge..spack. 1470–85 Malory Arthur i. xxi. 68 Thenne spak Igrayne. 1567 Gude & Godlie B. (S.T.S.) 84 Than spak that Virgin fre. c 1614 Sir W. Mure Dido & æneas i. 467 Ne'er word she spak. 1786 Burns Holy Fair iv, Laughan as she spak.

    (δ) 3 spæke, 3–5 speke, 4 speeke, 5 speek.
    Properly representing the OE. forms sprǽce, spǽce.

c 1200 Ormin 16260 Þeȝȝ wenndenn þatt he spæke..off þeȝȝre temmple. c 1275 Lay. 14316 Þe speche þat þe maide speke. c 1320 Cast. Love 458 Pees..þus to hire Fader speek. 1382 Wyclif Job ii. 10 As oon of the fool wymmen thou speeke. c 1420 Sir Amadace (Camden) lx, Thenne speke Sir Amadace so fre.

    (ε) 3– (now arch., dial., or poet.) spake, 4–5 spaak. Also 2nd pers. 5 spakist, 6– spakest, 6 spakst, 7 poet. spak'st.

a 1300 K. Horn 535 Do nu þat þu er of spake. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 265 He spaak þes wordis. 1388 ― 1 Sam. xxviii. 21 Thi wordis, whiche thou spakist. 1461 Paston Lett. II. 14, I..spake Ric. Sothwell. 1509 Fisher Wks. (1876) 103 That thou spake them to hym. 1667 Milton P.L. viii. 444, I, ere thou spak'st, Knew [etc.]. 1781 Cowper Conversation 511 They spake of him they lov'd. 1827 [see B. 1 f]. 1848 Bartlett Dict. Amer. 321 Spake..is still heard occasionally from the pulpit, as well as in conversation. 1872 Tennyson Gareth & Lynette 472 Lancelot ever spake him pleasantly.

    (ζ) 6– spoke, 7, 9 dial. spok, 7 spoak(e, spook, 8–9 dial. spock. Also 2nd pers. 9 spokest.

1596 Spenser F.Q. vi. xii. 25 He..blasphemy spoke. 1615 Cocks Diary (Hakl. Soc.) I. 18 She spoake Spanish. 1617 Ibid. 260 He spok to the Chinas. 1697 J. Lewis Mem. Dk. Glocester (1789) 50 A sweetness..that spoke the inner feelings. 1773 Goldsm. Stoops to Conq. iii, He spoke to me. 1802 Med. Jrnl. VIII. 194 With whom I spoke here lately. 1848 Lytton Harold i. iii. 41 Thou spokest of Harold.

    b. pl. (α) 1 sprecun, -on (-an), 1–2 spræcon (1 -un, -an, 2 -en).

c 825 Vesp. Psalter cxviii. 23 Aldermen..wið me sprecun. c 897 K. ælfred Gregory's Past. C. 95 Eall ðæt ðæt we ær spræcon. 971 Blickl. Hom. 77 Hie..to Criste spræcan. Ibid. 99 Þa þe..him olyhtword sprecan. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Luke xxiv. 36 Þa hiᵹ þis spræcon [c 1160 Hatton spræcen]. 1123 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1123, Ða spræcon ða biscopas hem betwenan.

    (β) 1–2 spæcon, 2 spæcen, 2–3 spæken (3 Orm. -enn); 2 specon, 2–5 speken (5 spekon, -yn), 3–5 speke, 4 spek; 4 speeken, spieken, speeke, spieke.

c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Luke xxiv. 14 And hiᵹ spæcon him be⁓twynan. c 1160 Hatton Gosp. Luke ix. 30 Ða spæken [v.r. spæcen] tweᵹen weres wið hine. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 89 Þe apostles speken to þes folkes igederunge. c 1205 Lay. 8249 Þus þe cnihtes him spæken [c 1275 speke] wið. c 1305 St. Dunstan 9 in E.E.P. (1862) 34 Hi speke ech to oþer. a 1325 Prose Psalter xxxvii. 13 Hij..speken uanites. 1382 Wyclif Ps. cxviii. 23 Aȝen me thei speeken. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 235 Therof spieken alle men. Ibid. III. 300 Togedre as thei tuo speeke. c 1450 Merlin 25 The peple..assembleden, and speken of Vortiger. c 1489 Caxton Blanchardyn 71 The most valiaunt knyght that men euere speke of.

    (γ) 4–5 spaken, 4–5, 7 spake, 4 space, spac, 4, 6 Sc. spack, 4, 9 dial. spak.

a 1300 E.E. Psalter lxxii. 8 Þai..spake quedenes vn⁓righte. a 1325 Prose Psalter cviii. 2 Hij spaken to me. a 1425 Cursor M. 11990 (Trin.), Þei spake to Ioseph. c 1449 Pecock Repr. ii. x. 206 Whom prophetis bifore spaken Sauiour. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. II. 284 Tha spack verie scharpe. 1621 Cocks Diary 11 Nov. (1883) II. 218 Those 10 men they spake of.

    (δ) 3–5 spoken, 4 spokyn; 4, 6– spoke, 5 spook.

c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 2913 Quanne he ðat bodewurd spoken. a 1325 Prose Psalter cxviii. 23 For princes..spoken oȝains me. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. ii. 225 Spiceres spoke with hym. 1470–85 Malory Arthur xvii. viii. 700 As they spoken thus. 1598 Shakes. Merry W. iv. iv. 17 That [way] they spoke of.

    4. pa. pple. (α) 1 ᵹesprecen, ᵹespecen, 3 i-specken, i-speken, i-spæ(c)ken; 1 sprecen, 2 sprecon; 3–5 speken, 7 speaken, 6 spaken.

Beowulf 643 Þa wæs eft..þryðword sprecen. c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. xviii. §1 Ða ðis þa ᵹesprecen was. c 1050 Ags. Hom. (Assmann) 183 Ða þa Tyrus hæfde þus ᵹespecen. a 1122 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 675, Swa swa ᵹe hit sprecon hauen. c 1200 Moral Ode 9 (Trin. Coll. MS.), Fele idel word ich habbe ispeken. c 1205 Lay. 13643 Ich habbe..ispæken him wið. c 1300 Havelok 2369 Þat ich haue of ofte speken. c 1590 in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. ii. III. 159, I have spaken to Dollyne. 1670 Dk. York in 3rd Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. 421/1 Nor will it be speaken on..till next weeke.

    (β) 3–4 i-speke, y-speke, 4–5 speke, 4 spek.

a 1250 Owl & Night. 1293 For þe hule swo ispeke hadde. c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 228 Þare nas neuere..yspeke..non oþur word. 1340 Ayenb. 69 Uor þet hi habbeþ yspeke. c 1350 Will. Palerne 4605 Til i speke haue.

    (γ) 4–5 y-, i-spoken, i-spokyn; 4– spoken (5 -ene, -un), 4–5, Sc. 6 spokin (5 Sc. -ine), 4–6 spokyn, 5 spockyn, 6 Sc., 9 dial. spocken (9 dial. spockin, spawken), 6 Sc. spokne, 7 spokn, spoaken.

a 1300 Cursor M. 1757 Quen he his wil had with him spoken. a 1325 Prose Psalter xi. 2 Ichon han i-spoken idel þynges. 1450–80 tr. Secreta Secret. 13 Whan that this worthi lord hath þus..spokene. 1530 Palsgr. 727/2 Whan they hadde spokyn..of the matter. 1583 Leg. Bp. St. Androis 353 Trowing the teallis befoir was spocken. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. I. 88 We haue schortlie spokne. 1604 E. G[rimstone] D'Acosta's Hist. Indies ii. ix. 102 Not so great as they had spoken. 1817 Wilbraham in Archaeol. (1821) XIX. 38 Spocken, participle of the verb to speak.

    (δ) 4–5 y-spoke, 4 i-spoke; 4–9 spoke, 5, 7 spok, 7 spoak.

1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) IV. 123 He hadde proudeliche i-spoke. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 60 As I have spoke. c 1430 Pilgr. Lyf Manhode i. xliv. (1869) 26 Whan Nature hadde þus yspoke. 1461 Paston Lett. II. 42, I have spok with John Rwsse. 1557 N. Grimalde in Tottel's Misc. (Arb.) 116 Not more..hath Sparta spoke. 1622 Donne Serm. 15 Sept. 37 Neither is that spoak there. 1664 Power Exp. Philos. i. 2 He would not have spoke so doubtfully. a 1774 Goldsm. tr. Scarron's Com. Romance (1775) I. 63 When she had spoke these last words. 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. vii, Nothing was spoke of for some time. 1843 S. R. Maitland Dark Ages xvi. (1890) 293 That I have..spoke the truth.

    (ε) 6–7 spake, 9 Sc. spak'.

c 1500 Three Kings' Sons 61 That he had spake to hym. 1616 W. Forde Serm. 17 He had no sooner spake the word. 1632 Massinger & Field Fatal Dowry v. ii, Tho' spake by him That never brake his word. 1812 P. Forbes Poems 34 (E.D.D.), Another chield that hadna spak'.

    B. Signification. I. intr.
    1. a. To utter or pronounce words or articulate sounds; to use or exercise the faculty of speech; to express one's thoughts by words.

Beowulf 1698 Ða se wisa spræc sunu Healfdenes; swiᵹedon ealle. c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. iii. §3 Þa ongan he eft sprecan & cwæð to þan Mode. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. xv. 31 Þa mæneᵹu wundredon ᵹeseonde dumbe specende, healte gangende. a 1200 St. Marher. 16 Swuch farlac ich fele..þet speoken i ne dar nawt. a 1300 Cursor M. 19415 Þe hali spirit vte of him spak. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xix. 126 For defe..to here & dombe speke he made. 1422 tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 209 He that hyryth the reysones of many men may lightyr well sayne, than he that erste spake. 1581 G. Pettie tr. Guazzo's Civ. Conv. ii. (1586) 69 b, Not to speake, while an other is in speaking,..before he which speaketh be thorowly understood. 1610 Shakes. Temp. ii. i. 65 If but one of his pockets could speake, would it not say he lyes? 1719 De Foe Crusoe i. (Globe) 182, I had taught my Poll, as I noted before, to speak. 1828 Lytton Pelham III. xiv, He spoke with great feeling on the subject for which I was summoned. 1897 Gladstone E. Crisis 6 It is time to speak with freedom.

transf. 1611 Bible Prov. vi. 13 He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feete.

    b. Said of the mouth, tongue, etc.

c 825 Vesp. Psalter xvi. 10 Muð heara spreocende wes in oferhyᵹde. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Luke vi. 45 Soðlice se muð spycð [c 1160 specð] swa seo heorte þencð. 1382 Wyclif Ps. lxv. 14 My mouth spac in my tribulacioun. 1535 Coverdale Matt. xii. 34 For of y⊇ abundance of y⊇ hert y⊇ mouth speaketh. 1560 Bible (Geneva) Song Sol. vii. 9 Which..causeth the lippes of the ancient to speake. 1611 Bible Isaiah xxxii. 4 The tongue of the stammerers shall bee readie to speake plainely. 1646 Crashaw Steps to Temple Poems (1904) 74 Christ bids the dumb tongue speak; it speakes. 1841 Lane Arab. Nts. I. 95 When I have cut off thy head, will it speak?

    c. To hold talk or discourse, to converse, with others or with each other. (Cf. 20.) Also, in mod. use, to be on speaking terms.

971 Blickl. Hom. 93 Seo eorþe on þæm norþ-ende & on þam east-ende sprecað him betweonum. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Luke vii. 32 Hi synt ᵹelice cildum on stræte sittendum & specendum betwux him. c 1125 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1123, Se king..and se biscop..riden þær specende. c 1200 Ormin 3389 Þa hirdess tokenn sone þuss To spekenn hemm bitwenenn. 1375 [see 3 a]. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 208 Thus as they lihe abedde and spieke. 1582 N. T. (Rhem.) Acts xxvi. 31 Going a side, they spake among them selues, saying [etc.]. 1607 Shakes. Cor. i. iv. 4 They lye in view, but haue not spoke as yet. 1777 C. Reeve Champion of Virtue 54 While they were speaking, Oswald came to them, and said [etc.]. 1819 Shelley Cenci v. i. 64 Even whilst we speak The ministers of justice wait below. 1826 Disraeli Viv. Grey ii. ii, There is Courtown, but we do not speak. 1865 H. Kingsley Hillyars III. xxiii. 240 Even their husbands did not speak for a fortnight.

    (b) spec. To speak to another by means of a telephone; ― speaking (where ― is a speaker on a telephone), phr. used by the speaker to announce his identity.

1885 List of Subscribers (United Telephone Co.) p. xiv, ‘Who speaks?’ came distinctly from the wires into the office. ‘2577,’ was the reply—it was the hotel number. 1925 F. Scott Fitzgerald Great Gatsby ix. 200 But the connection came through as a man's voice, very thin and far away. ‘This is Slagle speaking.’.. ‘Yes?’ The name was unfamiliar. 1933 ‘Sapper’ Knock-Out i. 9 Standish..took the receiver from the other's hand. ‘Hullo! Sanderson,’ he said. ‘Yes—Standish speaking. What now?’ 1973 J. Wainwright Pride of Pigs 166 ‘Quince?’ said the voice. ‘Speaking.’ Quince hooked his fingers through the carrying handle of the Trimphone, telephone hand set... He said: ‘Who's that?.. Who's speaking?’ 1977 L. Meynell Hooky gets Wooden Spoon xiii. 151 C.I.D. here..who is it speaking, please?

    d. In various phrases and proverbs.
    See also book n. 15 and card n.² 4 c.

a 1250 Owl & Night. 1074 ‘Wel fiȝt þat wel specþ,’ seide Alured. 1381 in Knighton's Chron. (Rolls) II. 139 Speke, spende and spede, quoth Jon of Bathon. a 1425 Cursor M. 23849 (Trin.), Euer to speke & not to spede, Wastyng hit is of goddes sede. 14.. [see spare v.1 6 c]. 1596 Shakes. Tam. Shr. ii. i. 66 Mistake me not, I speake but as I finde. c 1676 South Serm. (1715) 341 He only now-a-days speaks like an Oracle, who speaks Tricks and Ambiguities. 1748 Richardson Clarissa VI. 61 He always loved to speak as he found. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. 482, I am speaking like a book.

    e. With reflexive or ethical dative. rare.

c 1400 Anturs of Arth. l, Bot than hym spake Gallerone to Gawayne þe gude. 1703 Rowe Ulyss. i. i. 366 This Wife of him that was my Friend? Eur. Thou speak'st me well, of him that was thy Friend. 1839–48 Bailey Festus 60/1 Thou speakest me of visions.

    f. To deliver a speech or formal address; to express one's opinions or views in an assembly of any kind.

a 1577 Sir T. Smith Commw. ii. ii. (1584) 40 The speaker hath no voice in the house, nor they will not suffer him to speake in any bill to mooue or disswade it. 1601 Shakes. Jul. C. iii. ii. 89 Heere, vnder leaue of Brutus, and the rest,..Come I to speake in Cæsars Funerall. 1689 Sc. Acts Parlt. (1875) XII. 59/2 That the members be allowed to speak oftner than twyce if it be done with discreatione. 1738 tr. Guazzo's Art Convers. 115 Marius, being to speak before the People of Rome, said [etc.]. 1827 Southey Hist. Penins. War II. 574 Lord Grenville spake in a similar temper. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. vi. II. 18 The Commons were summoned to the bar of the Lords; and the King spoke from the throne. His speech had been composed by himself.

    g. spec. To propose marriage. Cf. sense 14 d.

1604 Shakes. Oth. i. iii. 166 She thank'd me, And bad me, if I had a Friend that lou'd her, I should but teach him how to tell my Story, And that would wooe her. Vpon this hint I spake. 1803 G. Colman John Bull iii. i. 31 Lady Caroline. Lard, Mr. Shuffleton!.. You never spoke anything to—that is—to justify such a—. Shuffleton. (Aside.) That's as much as to say, speak now. 1858 Trollope Dr. Thorne ii. vi. 81, I think you may speak now, Frank... She is very fond of you. 1904 H. James Golden Bowl I. i. xii. 213 He liked..to feel that he should be able to ‘speak’..the word itself being romantic. 1932 S. Gibbons Cold Comfort Farm xiv. 195 Flora did not dare to imagine what would happen if they returned from the ball and he had not spoken. He must speak! 1964 M. Laski in S. Nowell-Smith Edwardian England iv. 198 An interval might have been found—perhaps in the conservatory, perhaps on a sofa in a dark nook under the stairs— when he had spoken and she accepted.

    2. a. Followed by direct quotation of the words uttered.
    More commonly with insertion of ‘and said’.

Beowulf 1168 Spræc ða ides Scyldinga: ‘Onfoh þissum fulle.’ c 1000 Ags. Ps. (Thorpe) lxiii. 4 Hi..sare sprecað, ‘Hwa ᵹesyhð usic?’ a 1325 Prose Psalter xxxviii. 5 Ich spak wyþ my tunge, ‘Make, Lord, knowen to me myn endyng’. 1375 in Horstmann Altengl. Leg. (1878) 127/1 Adam þo spak ful pitously: ‘A, deuel, wo þe be!’ 1500–20 Dunbar Poems (S.T.S.) xxxiv. 14 Than spak the Devill.., ‘Renunce thy God and cum to me’. 1588 A. King tr. Canisius' Catech. 30 For thou hes spoken..‘the bread quhilk I sal giue is my fleshe’. 1667 Milton P.L. vii. 339 Again th' Almightie spake: Let there be Lights [etc.]. 1781 Cowper Hope 524 Well spake the prophet, Let the desert sing. 1825 Scott Betrothed vi, He spoke again, and in anxious haste, ‘Daughter, we are betrayed!’ 1859 Tennyson Marr. Geraint 555 Loudly spake the Prince, ‘Forbear: there is a worthier’.

    b. In pa. tense used in narrative poetry (after L. dixit) at the end of a speech. Cf. say v.¹ B. 3 e.

1667 Milton P.L. i. 663 He spake: and to confirm his words [etc.]. 1697 Dryden æneid v. 218 He spoke, and..at his stern he saw [etc.]. 1716 Pope Iliad v. 351 He spoke, and rising hurl'd his forceful dart. 1757 Gray Bard 143 He spoke, and headlong..plunged to endless night. 1820 Shelley Hymn Merc. lxix, He spoke, and bound Stiff withy bands the infant's wrists around.

    3. a. With advs. and advb. phrases, as so, thus, etc. (See also 4 a.)
    Speak may also be accompanied by many different adverbs denoting either the tone of voice, the temper or intention of the speaker, or the character of the ideas expressed. For some special instances of these see evil adv. 1, fair adv. 2, false adv. 1, home adv. 5, low adv. 3, plain adv. 2 and 3, soft adv. 4, thick adv. 4, well adv.

971 Blickl. Hom. 227 Þa he þa þus spræc, ða ᵹeseah he [etc.]. a 1225 Leg. Kath. 312 He..feng on þus to speokene. c 1250 Kent. Serm. in O.E. Misc. 27 Herodes..swo spac te þo þrie kinges. 1375 Barbour Bruce xix. 613 Thusgatis spekand, thai held thar way. 1557 Tottel's Misc. (Arb.) 216 If guile do guide your wit by silence so to speake. 1611 Bible 1 Sam. xviii. 24 On this manner spake Dauid. 1667 Milton P.L. i. 271 So Satan spake, and him Beelzebub Thus answer'd. 1748 Smollett Rod. Rand. lvi, While I spoke thus, she concealed her face with her fan. 1819 Scott Ivanhoe xxviii, Speak not so, my dear father. 1845 S. Judd Margaret i. xiv, I have heard Hash speak so.

    b. With advs. of quantity, as less, little, more, much.
    With these words it is often difficult to distinguish between the intr. and trans. uses of the verb.

a 1300 Cursor M. 19115 Þe apostels spekand þus and mar, þe preistes come. 1338 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 77 Was noiþer more no lesse of þer penance spoken. 1388 Wyclif 2 Sam. xix. 29 What spekist thou more? c 1400 Brut cxiii. 114 When þe Kyng herde speke so miche of here beaute. c 1475 Rauf Coilȝear 270 Mair the King spak nocht. 1588 Shakes. L.L.L. i. i. 112, I haue for barbarisme spoke more. 1702 Eng. Theophrastus 335 It is the character of your half witted fellows to speak much and say little. 1805 Scott Last Minstr. ii. xxxii, Little he ate, and less he spoke. 1848 Thackeray Van. Fair xxxiv, Perhaps rather disappointed that the port wine had not made Jim speak more.

    c. With advs. denoting continuation, as away, on.

1535 Coverdale Ecclus. xxvii. 12 Amonge soch as be wyse, speake on hardely. 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, iii. iii. 43 Speake on, but be not ouer-tedious. 1725 Ramsay Gentle Sheph. Song xvii, Speak on,..and still my grief. 1781 C. Johnston Hist. J. Juniper II. 164 If stages were built for them to speak away upon. a 1814 Fam. Politics v. iii. in New Brit. Theat. II. 248 Speak away, girl: we shall halt here some time yet. 1885 ‘Mrs. Alexander’ At Bay i, He wanted her to speak on.

    d. With advs. having reference to the use of a particular language or style of speech.

1823 Scott Quentin D. xvi, ‘Thou speakest too well for one who hath lived always in thy filthy horde,’ said the Scot. 1846 Landor Imag. Conv., Southey & Landor Wks. 1853 II. 164/1 Varlunga, a pastoral district, in which the people speak differently from both.

    4. In various parenthetical and other phrases: a. In the infinitive, esp. so to speak.

(a) 1553 T. Wilson Rhet. (1580) 205 All goodnesse (to speake at a worde) goeth awaie. 1595 Shakes. John ii. i. 514 Or if you will, to speake more properly, I will enforce it easlie. 1628 Gaule Pract. The. (1629) 232 Before Herod (to speake in few) they put vpon him a Fooles Note. 1671 H. M. tr. Erasm. Colloq. 494 There was no year, wherein he did not gain a thousand duckats, to speak with the least. 1821 Scott Kenilw. vii, It would cost me nothing..to say yes—but, to speak on the square, I must needs say no. 1886 C. E. Pascoe Lond. of To-day xl. (ed. 3) 349 To speak by the book, ‘Mr. Gunter, cook, confectioner, and fruiterer’.

(b) 1824 Longfellow Let. 2 Mar. in S. Longfellow Life H. W. Longfellow (1886) I. iii. 37 If this were not another building, I should have imagined I occupied the same chamber that you did in former times, for it seemed to be the very highest point of the dwelling, the very apogee, so to speak. 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. i. iii. iii, Notables are, so to speak, organed out. 1888 ‘J. S. Winter’ Bootle's Childr. v, Pearl..was the leading spirit of the pair, and led Maud by the nose, so to speak.

attrib. and as n. 1874 Gentl. Mag. July 126 In a so to speak unconscious manner. 1893 R. Heath Eng. Peasant 248 This statement of his..is not to be dismissed as a mere so-to-speak.

    b. as they (etc.) speak, = as the phrase is.

1595 in J. H. Pollen Acts Eng. Mart. (1892) vi. 101 Forthwith was found by the twelve billa vera, as they speak. 1665 Phil. Trans. I. 80 By letting down shafts from the day (as Miners speak). 1695 Woodward Nat. Hist. Earth i. (1723) 37 Many of them became petrified, as they speak. 1846 Keble Serm. xiii. (1848) 335 The same saying fell accidentally (as men speak) on the eye of another rich young man.

    c. In pres. pple. with advs., as broadly, correctly, generally, humanly, properly, roughly, strictly, etc. (Freq. in modern use.)

1699 T. Brown Let. to Dr. Brown at Tunbridge Wks. 1711 IV. 129 Misfortunes..of which I can, humanly speaking, see no End. 1826 Art of Brewing (ed. 2) 90 Generally speaking, I am an advocate for malt and hops only. 1855 Orr's Circ. Sci., Inorg. Nat. 108 Strictly speaking also, there are no beds hitherto found lying above the chalk. 1865 Ruskin Sesame ii. §74 Speaking broadly, a man ought to know any language or science he learns, thoroughly.

    5. Of a writer, literary composition, etc.: To make a statement or declaration in words; to state or say.

c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 131 Seinte paul..speceð on þe halie pistle þe me ret to dei. c 1205 Lay. 70 Al swa þe boc spekeð þe he to bisne inom. c 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 4529 Þai sal be, als þe appocalips spekes, In..hayres cledde. c 1400 Love Bonavent. Mirr. (1908) 50 Herto accordynge speketh the apostle..in his pistle ad hebreos. 1585 Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. ii. ix. 42 b, Strabo spake aright, where he sayeth [etc.]. 1631 Weever Anc. Funeral Mon. 250 My old Anonimall Manuscrip speakes..to the like effect. 1763 C. Johnston Reverie I. 42 You are to observe that I speak in the general. 1816 J. Smith Panorama Sci. & Art II. 265 It was admitted that the ancients spoke from justifiable data. 1869 T. C. Barker Aryan Civiliz. x. (1871) 31 A law of the Twelve Tables at Rome speaks to the same effect.

    6. fig. Of things: To be expressive or significant; to make some revelation or disclosure.

1535 Coverdale Heb. xii. 24 The sprenklynge off bloude, that speaketh better then the bloude of Abel. 1602 Marston Ant. & Mel. iv. Wks. 1856 I. 54 His grief speakes in his slow-pac't steps. 1667 Milton P.L. iii. 267 His words here ended, but his meek aspect Silent yet spake. 1722 Wollaston Relig. Nat. i. 8 We read of feet, that speak; of a philosopher, who answerd an argument by only getting up and walking. 1813 Byron Corsair i. iii, A sail!—a sail!.. Her nation—flag—how speaks the telescope? 1843 R. J. Graves Syst. Clin. Med. xiv. 153 His countenance now spoke promisingly. 1885 ‘Mrs. Alexander’ Valerie's Fate iv, Never had her heart spoken before.

    b. To take effect legally; to be valid.

1837 Act 7 Will. IV & 1 Vict. c. 26 §24 That every Will shall be construed.. to speak and take effect as if it had been executed immediately before the Death of the Testator. 1845 Williams Real Prop. x. 154 marg., A will now speaks from the death of testator.

    7. transf. a. Of musical instruments, etc.: To emit a sound; spec. to utter a full and proper note. Chiefly rhet. or techn.

1602 Shakes. Ham. v. ii. 286 Let the Kettle to the Trumpets speake. 1676 Mace Musick's Mon. 70 The String lying upon This only Round single Fret, cannot but speak Clear. a 1700 Evelyn Diary 19 Nov. 1674, He..made it [a violin] speake like the voice of a man. 1794 Mrs. Radcliffe Myst. Udolpho xliii, Horns and other instruments..spoke in sweet response to the harmony that proceeded from the pavilion. 1843 Civil Eng. & Arch. Jrnl. VI. 108/1 By coupling the pedals with the keys, 87 pipes are made to speak with each pedal. 1884 Encycl. Brit. XVII. 833/2 This saves space in the interior [of the organ], and gives the large pipes room to speak.

    b. Of natural forces, etc.: To emit noise, make a sound; to reverberate.

1604 Shakes. Oth. ii. i. 5 Me thinks, the wind hath spoke aloud at Land. ? 1807–8 Wordsw. Somnambulist 4 How softly then Doth Aira-force..Speak from the woody glen! 1859 Meredith R. Feverel xlii, All at once the thunder spoke.

    c. Of firearms: To emit a report on being fired.

1706 E. Ward Wooden World Diss. (1708) 67 He loves dearly to hear his Guns speak. 1875 Kinglake Crimea (1877) VI. vi. 218 The Coldstream..could not get their wet rifles to speak. 1896 Pall Mall G. 8 Jan. 1/3 The news from the Transvaal, where the rifles have already spoken.

    d. Of a hound: To give tongue; to bay.

1826 Sporting Mag. (N.S.) XVII. 288 The hounds were speaking in the covert. 1888 Elworthy W. Somerset Word-bk. 605 The word [‘quest’] is never used with hounds; they ‘give tongue’, ‘speak’, or ‘bay’.

    e. Naut. (See quot.)

1833 M. Scott Tom Cringle viii, The sharp little vessel began to speak, as the rushing sound through the water is called.

    f. techn. (See quot.)

1884 F. J. Britten Watch & Clockm. 205 When the tool is of proper size the pinion will ‘speak’ (make a squeaking noise) as the red stuff is drying off.

    II. With preps., in more or less specialized uses.
    8. speak about—: (see about prep. 7).
    Cf. the common OE. sprecan ymb(e.

a 1300 Cursor M. 24795 For to spek abute sum pais. 1605 Shakes. Macb. i. iii. 83 Were such things here, as we doe speake about? 1671 H. M. tr. Erasm. Colloq. 263 He falls on speaking about the success of their business. 1737– [see 14 b]. 1843 J. H. Newman Lett. (1891) II. 430 Sermons which speak more confidently about our position than I inwardly feel.

    9. speak again(st—: (see again prep. 6 and against prep. 12).

c 1000 ælfric Numb. xxi. 7 We singodon swiðe, for þan þe we swa spræcon onᵹean god & þe. a 1250 Owl & Night. 678 Þar muþ shal speke ayeyn horte. 1388 Wyclif Ps. xlix. 20 Thou sittynge spakist aȝens thi brother. a 1425 Cursor M. 2928 (Trin.), Þer aȝeyn durst he not speke. 1545 R. Ascham Toxoph. i. (Arb.) 59, I speake not agaynst greate candelles, but agaynst lytle candels. 1605 Shakes. Lear ii. iv. 243 Sith that both charge and danger Speake 'gainst so great a number. 1736 Ainsworth i. s.v., If he go on to speak lavishly against me. 1847 Tennyson Princ. vii. 112 On the other side Hortensia spoke against the tax. 1908 R. Bagot A. Cuthbert xxvi. 339 Some regretted..that they spoke against her as an interloper.

    10. speak for—. a. To make a speech or plea in place of or on behalf of (a person); in later use esp. to plead for. Also, to make representations concerning (a thing). speak for yourself: expressing a desire to dissociate oneself from what another has just said or the assumptions behind it.

a 1300 K. Horn 171 Hor[n] spak for hem alle. 1382 Wyclif Acts xxvi. 1 It is suffrid to thee, for to speke for thi silf. 1481 Caxton Reynard iv. (Arb.) 7 How grymbart the dasse..spack for reynart. 1535 Coverdale 2 Kings iv. 13 Hast thou eny matter to be spoken for to the kynge? c 1643 Ld. Herbert Autobiog. (1824) 139 An unpardonable fault, insomuch that no man would speak for him. 1736 Ainsworth i. s.v., If ever he do so again, I will never speak for him. 1738 Swift Polite Conversation i. 16 Pray, sir, speak for yourself. 1777 C. Reeve Champion of Virtue 102 Take courage and speak for yourself. 1778 Boswell in London Mag. Feb. 58/1, I remember hearing a late celebrated infidel tell that he was not at all pleased when the infidel wife of his friend, a poet of some eminence, addressed him in a company in London, ‘we Deists’.—Speak for yourself, Madam, said he abruptly. 1821 Scott Kenilw. xxxvi, ‘I say, speak not for her!’ replied Leicester. 1824 ― Redgauntlet III. x. 292 ‘Speak for yourself, friend,’ said Peter, scornfully. 1858 Longfellow M. Standish iii , Why don't you speak for yourself, John? 1916 G. B. Shaw Androcles & Lion Prologue 3 Megaera: Everybody knows that the Christians are the very lowest of the low. Androcles: Just like us, dear. Megaera: Speak for yourself. 1946 L. P. Hartley Sixth Heaven ii. 46 ‘Speak for yourself,’ said Barbara defiantly. 1976 Times Lit. Suppl. 30 Apr. 508/4 We learn that ‘when viewing serials..we feel we know these characters well enough, for example, to say hello to in the street.’.. My reaction to this is to say: speak for yourself!

transf. 1607 Shakes. Cor. iii. i. 127 There Mutinies and Reuolts..spoke not for them. 1722–7 Boyer Dict. Royal i. s.v. Parler, Ses Services parlent pour lui, his Services speak for him. 1770 Langhorne Plutarch (1879) II. 664/2 He had a very engaging countenance, which spoke for him before he opened his lips. 1859 Tennyson Merlin & V. 466 She ceased,..and let her eyes Speak for her.

    b. To beg or request; to ask for.

1560 Bible (Geneva) Song Sol. viii. 8 What shal we do for our sister..when she shalbe spoken for? 1594 Lyly Mother Bombie i. iii, They giue vs pap with a spoon before we can speak, and when wee speake for that wee loue, pap with a hatchet. 1605 Shakes. Lear i. iv. 267 The shame it selfe doth speake For instant remedy.

    c. To order; to bespeak; to engage.

1679 Bunyan Israel's Hope Encour. Wks. 1855 I. 583 As your great traders do with the goods that their chapmen have either bought or spoke for. 1730 Bailey (fol.), To Bespeak, to speak for something; to give order for it to be made. 1743 Lond. & Country Brew. iv. (ed. 2) 284 The next time he went to the Brew-house to speak for more. 1815 Jane Austen Emma xv, The bell was rung, and the carriages spoken for. 1859 Mrs. Stowe Minister's Wooing xii. 115 Three months beforehand, all her days and nights are spoken for. 1943 Sun (Baltimore) 25 Feb. 6/1 (Advt.), We hope to preserve even more food this year. But well over half of this season's pack is already spoken for by the Government. 1971 Petticoat 17 July 29/2 He's not married, but he's involved, as they say, spoken for, and has lived with his girlfriend in London for the last few years.

    d. To indicate; to betoken.

1832 Philological Museum I. 335 The great mass of evidence that speaks for an intimate affinity between the Pelasgians and the Hellenes. 1852 Mrs. Craik Head of Family viii, It may speak very ill for Mr. Græme's knowledge of the world, to confess [etc.]. 1910 Hirth in Encycl. Brit. VI. 191/1 This does not seem to speak for racial consanguinity.

    e. to speak for itself, to be significant or self-evident. (Cf. 29 c.)

1779 Warner in Jesse Selwyn & Contemp. (1844) IV. 213 The letter was not from any of the family, she said, and that speaks for itself. 1821 Scott Kenilw. viii, But I need not detail them—the fact speaks for itself. 1869 J. Martineau Ess. II. 127 The paragraph..will speak for itself.

    11. speak of—. a. To mention, or discourse upon, in speech or writing. (See also 14 b.)

c 825 Vesp. Psalter cxviii. 46 [Ic] sprec of cyðnissum ðinum in ᵹesihðe cyninga. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Luke ix. 11 [He] spræcc him of ric godes. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 73 Of þe halie fulht spec ure drihten on oðer stude. c 1200 Ormin 6784 Goddspellboc ne spekeþþ nohht Off all þatt oþerr genge. c 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 2683 Here es þe thred parte of þis buke spedde Þat spekes of þe dede. 1422 Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 203 Of this Spekyth the boke of Iudyth. 1530 Palsgr. 727/2, I go nowe beyondsee, but if God send me lyfe you shall here speke of me. 1603 Parsons Three Convers. Eng. ii. viii. 481, I shall haue occasion to speake againe of these heretiks in the next chapter. 1730 A. Gordon Maffei's Amphith. 58 The Theatre..is spoke of by Martial. 1818 Scott Br. Lamm. xviii, ‘And speaking of red-game,’ said the young scape-grace, interrupting his father. 1884 tr. Lotze's Metaph. 43 A common-place with every philosophy which spoke of Things at all.

transf. 1794 Mrs. Radcliffe Myst. Udolpho xlii, Every object on which her eye fixed seemed to speak of the marchioness. 1833 L. Ritchie Wand. by Loire 180 At Doulon every thing begins to speak of the neighbourhood of a city. 1894 M. Pemberton Sea Wolves xi, He..wore sea-boots to his hips, though they spoke of much service and of decay.

    b. With advs., as evil, ill, well.

c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Mark ix. 39 Seðe..mæᵹe recone yfle spreca [L. male loqui] of mec. 1382 Wyclif Ps. lxxvii. 19 And euele thei speken of God. 1382 ― Jer. xl. 16 Fals forsothe thou spekist of Ismael. c 1440 Jacob's Well 83 Whan þou spekyst euyll of an-oþer mannys goodnesse. 1530 Palsgr. 727/2 Never speke yl of men behynde their backes. 1535– [see evil adv. 1 b]. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 598 He was..well spoken of of all men. 1611 Bible Luke vi. 26 When all men shall speake well of you. 1635 R. N. tr. Camden's Hist. Eliz. Introd., Howbeit her dayes have beene ill spoken of. 1807 Southey Espriella's Lett. II. 263 The boys..spake well of their masters.

    c. In the phr. to speak of (in later use = ‘worth mentioning’). Chiefly in negative constructions.
    Also (b) = ‘if mentioned or considered’.

(a) 1485 Caxton Chas. Gt. 27 Of hys strengthe is not a lytel thynge to speke of, For [etc.]. 1582 Bentley Mon. Matrones iii. 269 For that which I haue hitherto done, is nothing at all to speake of. 1610 Holland Camden's Brit. (1637) 633 This Towne is not very ancient to speak of. 1654 Gataker Disc. Apol. 47 None out-went me, few to speak of came neer me. 1694 Wood Life 23 Oct., No raine to speak of all Sept. and Oct. 1815 Scott Guy M. xlv, He had ridden the whole day..without tasting anything ‘to speak of’. 1881 Freeman in Stephens Life & Lett. (1895) II. 244 To-day has come the first snow to speak of.

(b) 1580 G. Harvey Let. to Spenser in S.'s Wks. (1912) 628/1 For the Romanes to speake of, are but verye Ciphars in this kinde.

    † d. not to be spoken of, (to be) beyond all description. Obs.

1600 Nashe Summer's Last Will 989 Wks. (Grosart) VI. 126 As for my Pease and my Fetches, they are famous, and not to be spoken of. 1611 Shakes. Wint. T. v. ii. 47 Then haue you lost a Sight which was to bee seene, cannot bee spoken of.

    † e. To bespeak; to order. Obs.^—1

1596 Shakes. Merch. V. ii. iv. 5 We haue not spoke vs yet of Torch-bearers.

    f. With verbal ns.: To suggest, propose, hint at (doing something).

1586 Ld. Burghley in Leycester Corr. (Camden) 450 Some spek of namyng the count Morrice. 1611 Bible 1 Sam. xxx. 6 The people spake of stoning him. 1792 Burns Duncan Gray ii, Duncan..Spak o' lowpin' ower a linn.

    12. speak on—. † a. To address or talk to (a person). Obs.

? 1370 Robt. Cisyle in Halliw. Nugæ Poet. (1844) 58 Lowde on hym he began to speke. c 1420 Sir Amadace (Camden) xxxvii, So come a mon..And speke on him fulle hastely.

    † b. = To speak of (see 11 a, b). Obs.

1593 Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, ii. ii. 69 (Q.), I am well spoke on, I can heare it with mine owne eares. 1647 J. Saltmarsh Spark. Glory (1847) 28 The Baptism of Christ..is that one Baptism spoken on in Ephes. 4.

    c. To discourse upon (a subject, etc.).

1818 Scott Br. Lamm. xxix, Mr. Hayston speaks on a subject on which you have long since agreed to give him a favourable hearing. 1876 Nature 7 Dec. 128 The Society..has invited Prof. Nordenskjöld to speak on the Kara Sea and Jenissei.

    13. speak past—. To talk at cross-purposes with; to speak incomprehensibly to. Cf. G. vorbeireden.

1952 G. Himmelfarb Lord Acton i. 2 This historian..ended his life..as a lecturer doomed to speak past his audience. 1975 United Church Observer Nov. 15/1 The most important issue..is whether we can speak together and converse together, not at each other or past each other.

    14. speak to—. a. To address words or discourse to (a person); to talk to, converse with.
    to speak to (see quot. 1837), so as to have conversation or personal acquaintance with one. Freq. in the phr. ‘to know (one) to speak to’.

Beowulf 1171 Þu on sælum wes..& to Ᵹeatum sprec mildum wordum. c 825 Vesp. Psalter xlix. 7 [Ic] sprecu to Israhela folce. 971 Blickl. Hom. 141 Heo spræc to þæm weorode & cwæþ [etc.]. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. John x. 25 Ic spece [c 1160 speke] to eow & ᵹe ne ᵹelyfað. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 925 After ðis spac god to abram. a 1300 Cursor M. 11964 Sai þou: i der noght til him speke. 1382 Wyclif 1 Cor. xiv. 3 He that prophecieth, spekith to men. c 1400 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton, 1483) iv. xxiii. 69, I wold haue spoke to them but I ne myght nought. 1528 Roy Rede me (Arb.) 118 Thus to the Cardinall he spake. 1581 G. Pettie tr. Guazzo's Civ. Conv. i. (1586) 13 b, If..you resalute not a friend, he will speake no more to you. a 1635 Sibbes Confer. Christ & Mary (1656) 15 When he speaks aloof to her, she answereth aloof to him. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. iii. xxxv. 216 Commanded by a Voice, as one man speaketh to another. 1751 Eliza Heywood Betsy Thoughtless I. 165 What reply she made I do not know, being speaking to Wildly at the same time. 1837 Lowell Lett. (1894) I. 21 How I remember the first time I ever saw you ‘to speak to’. 1908 R. Bagot A. Cuthbert xxvi. 342 It was too late that night to speak to her.

    b. With of, on, or about (a matter, etc.).

c 1200 Ormin 10466 Þatt fir Þatt Sannt Johan Bapptisste Spacc offe to þa sanderrmenn. c 1450 Lovelich Merlin 3204 What scholen we don of this mateer That he to vs spak of now heer? 1530 Palsgr. 727/1, I speke to him of my busynes. 1611 Bible 1 Sam. ix. 17 Behold the man whom I spake to thee of. 1737 Gentl. Mag. VII. 492, I have..spoke to the King of England..about your Friend. 1796 H. Hunter tr. St.-Pierre's Stud. Nat. (1799) III. 234 They spake to me of the various Works of Nature. 1804 Med. Jrnl. XII. 448, I also spoke to the principal surgeons..on the subject of vaccination. 1888 ‘J. S. Winter’ Bootle's Childr. iv, Whatever you wish for, you have only to speak to nurse here about it.

    c. transf. or fig.; esp. to appeal to, to influence, affect, or touch.

1604 Shakes. Oth. i. ii. 23 My demerites May speake (vnbonnetted) to as proud a Fortune As this. 1606 ― Ant. & Cl. i. ii. 188 More vrgent touches Do strongly speake to vs. 1700 J. A. Astry tr. Saavedra-Faxardo I. 116 b, Elogies inscribed on Tombs, speak not to the Dead, but to the Living. 1734 tr. Rollin's Anc. Hist. (1827) II. ii. 32 To give a more lively idea of the greatness of the victory, by speaking in some measure to the eye. 1825 T. Hook Sayings Ser. ii. Doubts & F. vii. II. 231 How strongly it speaks to the heart. 1891 Farrar Darkn. & Dawn xvi, The actor had spoken to them in the eloquence of rhythmic gesture.

    d. To apply to (a person) for a special purpose, esp. for help or service; to influence or bribe; spec. to propose marriage to. Cf. sense 1 g.

1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. v. 130 My Wyf..Spak to þe spinsters for to spinne hit softe. 1535 [see 10 a]. 1610 Shakes. Temp. i. i. 3 Good: Speake to th' Mariners. 1669 R. Montagu in Buccleuch MSS. I. 430 Their friends having spoke to me to speak for them to the King. 1687 A. Lovell tr. Thevenot's Trav. i. 26 If you would have a lodging room there, you must speak to the Porter of the Han. 1809 Ld. Granville Let. 14 Nov. in B. Askwith Piety & Wit (1982) iv. 64, I spoke to Harriet last night; she was very nervous and so was I... She consented to my speaking to the Duke [her father]. 1840 Thackeray in Fraser's Mag. XXII. 230/1 ‘Will you marry me?’ In fact, this very speech had been taught him by cunning Gann, who saw well enough that Swigby would speak to one or other of his daughters. c 1860 Househ. Words (Flügel), When judges were corrupt,..and attorney generals were to be ‘spoken to’. 1863 Mrs. Gaskell Dark Night's Work iv. 46 He had some discussion with himself as to whether he should speak to her, and so secure her promise. 1977 G. Butler Brides of Friedberg i. 12 Next day someone I would much rather have accepted spoke to me riding in the Row. But it was too late.

    e. To treat of or deal with, to discuss or comment on, (a subject) in speech or writing.

1610 J. Dove Advt. Seminaries 42, I desire them therefore..to speake to these foure points. 1637 Heylin Answ. Burton 78, For your charges,..I meane to take them..in order, and speake as briefely to them, as you would desire. 1662 Stillingfl. Orig. Sacræ ii. vi. §4 Though it be a subject little spoken to either by Jewish or Christian Writers. 1706 Stanhope Paraphr. III. 555 Part of this Scripture hath already been spoken to. 1724 Swift Drapier's Lett. Wks. 1755 V. ii. 110 A lawyer, who speaks to a cause, when the matter hath been almost exhausted by those who spoke before. 1778 Earl Malmesbury Diaries & Corr. I. 166 Unprepared as he was for such a proposition, he could not, he said, off-hand, speak to it accurately. 1869 Daily News 28 Apr., The report..was spoken to by the Most Rev. Chairman..and the Bishop of Derry. 1880 Ibid. 19 Mar. 2/3, I wish to call your attention..to..that allegation, and I shall endeavour to speak to it.

    f. To give († or constitute) evidence regarding (a thing); to attest, bear testimony to.

1624 Bp. R. Montagu Immed. Addr. 201 [These] speake indeed to the practise since it was in beginning. 1774 Mitford Ess. Harmony Lang. 195 From the antient Greeks I know of nothing speaking to the sound of the diphthong ου. 1776 Trial Nundocomar 65/2, I cannot speak to the motions of the army. 1817 Jas. Mill Brit. India III. ii. 85 The witness was not allowed to speak to the consultation of that day. 1825 Hazlitt Spirit of Age 227 This is a nice criticism, and we cannot speak to its truth. 1888 Times (weekly ed.) 2 Nov. 22/4 [He] asked that witnesses might be called to speak to his character.

    g. To address with reproof; to admonish.

1753 J. Collier Art Torment. i. ii. (1811) 67 Who, she hopes, on being spoke to, will do so no more. 1872 J. Ingelow Off Skelligs xix, ‘Papa,’ he exclaimed, in a loud, plaintive voice,..‘will you speak to Giles?’

    h. Cant. To rob (a person or place); to steal.

1799 Spirit Public Jrnls. III. 353 Twenty-four highway and footpad robberies,..none of the parties spoke to on the road able to swear positively. 1812 J. H. Vaux Flash Dict., To speak to a person or place is to rob them, and to speak to any article is to steal it.

    i. slang. (See quot.)

1812 J. H. Vaux Flash Dict. s.v. Spoke, Upon any great misfortune befalling a man,..his friends will say, Poor fellow, I believe he's spoke to, meaning it is all over with him.

    j. Of hounds: To give indications of (a fox, scent, etc.) by barking.

1845 Youatt Dog iii. 78 When a hound first speaks in cover to a fox. 1883 Standard 10 Aug. 2/1 The hounds could not speak to the line.

    15. speak unto—. a. To speak to (= 14 a).

c 1386 Chaucer Nun's Pr. T. 586 In al his drede vnto the fox he spak. c 1400 Brut ccxviii. 258 He..spake vnto ham of þe Kyngus honour. 1526 Tindale 1 Cor. xiv. 3 He that prophesieth, speaketh vnto men. 1640 Fuller Abel Rediv., Life Abbot (1867) II. 292 His majesty spake pleasantly unto him. 1684 Bunyan Pilgr. ii. (1862) 217 [They were] spoke kindly unto by him. 1839 Bailey Festus 136, I speak unto the young, for I am of them.

    † b. To discourse upon or deal with (a topic).

1639 Ld. Digby Lett. conc. Relig. (1651) 108 The precedency..is pretended due upon another ground also, which I have yet spoke little unto. 1675 J. Owen Indwelling Sin x. (1732) 117 These and the like things,..which are commonly spoken unto, is the Mind of a Believer obliged to attend..constantly unto.

    16. speak upon—, to speak about, of, or on. (Cf. 12 b, c.)

1535 Coverdale Isaiah xix. 17 Who so doth but speake vpon it, shal put them in feare. 1550 tr. Senonoys' Godly Saiyngs (1846) 147 The doctrine of the gospell whyche we do professe, shal be evill spoken upon. 1794 Mrs. Radcliffe Myst. Udolpho xxxviii, Remember I do not promise ever to speak upon them.

    17. speak with—. a. To converse with, talk to; to consult or confer with.
    In OE. and early ME. similarly with mid.

971 Blickl. Hom. 241 He þæt is se þe wið me spræc. c 1000 ælfric Exod. xxxii. 23 Þa þu.. wið god spæce. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 85 Alse wise hire lerden, þanne hie wið hire speken. a 1250 Owl & Night. 1553 Ne mot no mon wiþ hire speke. c 1320 Sir Tristr. 811 Wiþ morgan speke wil y And spede. 1426 Audelay Poems 19 Ȝe spekyn with hym in spirit. 1470–85 Malory Arthur i. x. 48 They spak with the knyghtes & welcomed hem. 1530 Palsgr. 727/2 He shalbe spoken with towchyng your cause. 1622 in Foster Eng. Factories Ind. (1908) II. 10 They both retired themselves to there privacy, soe that wee could not then speake with them. 1675 City Mercury 18–25 Nov. 2/1 He [a Physician] is any time to be spoke with from eight in the Morning to four in the Afternoon. 1764 Foote Patron iii. Wks. 1799 I. 356 Not to be spoke with! Don't tell me, Sir; he must, he shall. 1816 Scott Old Mort. xxxvi, Your uncle..has been spoken with, and declines visiting you. 1847 Tennyson Princ. ii. 58 Not for three years to speak with any men.

fig. 1663 Bp. Patrick Parab. Pilgr. xv. (1687) 134 When any temptation desires to speak with you, let the answer be ready, that there is other company within.

    b. Naut. To hold communication with (another vessel). Cf. 33 b.

1634 Sir T. Herbert Trav. 182 The expedition bearing vp to speak with vs, the ships fell foule. 1708 Lond. Gaz. No. 4422/7 We made Signal to the Commanding Officer..that we would speak with him. 1745 P. Thomas Jrnl. Anson's Voy. 24 On our speaking with her we found she had sprung her Fore-stay. 1775 Romans Florida App. 6, I need not direct seamen how to proceed, in order to speak with any vessel they chance to see.

    c. To communicate with (a place). rare^—1.

1659 Pell Impr. Sea 275 In Greenland, and Nova Zembla, &c. which onely in Summer-time may bee spoke with.

    † d. Cant. To have to do with; to steal or rob (cf. 14 h). Obs.^—0

1725 New Cant. Dict. s.v., I will never speak with any thing but Wedge or Cloy; I'll never steal, or have to do with any thing but Plate, or Money, &c. 1785 Grose Dict. Vulgar T. s.v., I spoke with the cull on the cherry coloured prancer, I robbed the man on the black horse.

    III. With advs. in special uses.
    18. speak out (cf. 36). a. To talk in a loud voice, or so as to be heard distinctly.

1530 Palsgr. 727/2 Speke out that a man may here you. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon lxxxiii. 262 Speke out hyer that ye may the better be herde. 1647 Hexham i, To speake out alowd. Ibid., To speak half out, or mumbling. 1712 [see out adv. 11]. 1908 R. Bagot A. Cuthbert v. 44 Jim stared at him. ‘What did you say?’ he asked. ‘Oh, nothing! Did I speak out loud?’

    b. To talk freely or unreservedly.
    to speak out in meeting (U.S.), to express one's opinions freely or openly (Thornton).

1694 T. Brown Lottery for Ladies & G. Wks. 1711 IV. 172 Is it not as modest to speak out, as to make broad Signs? 1765 G. Williams in Jesse Selwyn & Contemp. (1843) I. 396 Why do not you speak out as to Lord Gower? Is he to come in or not? 1809 Med. Jrnl. XXI. 150 But with all who have the courage to speak out, a difficulty remains. 1830 Mass. Spy 23 June 4/1 O dear, I spoke out in meeting. 1842 Tennyson Morte d'Arthur 150 Speak out: what is it thou hast heard, or seen? 1906 Springfield (Mass.) Weekly Republic 13 Sept. 8, I do not think the president will think any the less of me for speaking right out in meeting and saying that I am not for it.

    c. To break into speech.

1792 Burns Country Lassie i, Out spak a dame in wrinkled eild.

    d. To be apparent or evident.

1845–6 Trench Huls. Lect. Ser. ii. iii. 183 The sense of this speaks out in every arrangement.

    † 19. speak over, to say too much, to exaggerate. Obs. (Cf. overspeak v.)

1610 A. Cooke Pope Joan 87 If you bring not some author for the proofe of this point, you must giue me leaue to thinke you speake ouer. 1626 R. Harris Hezekiah's Recov. 4 The Orator spake not over, when hee intimated that Ingratitude was a kinde of Unjustice.

    20. speak together, to hold conference or consultation; to confer.

c 1205 Lay. 3248 Þa ilomp hit..þat þe Scottene king & þe duk speken to gaðere. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xv. 270 Monkes and mendynauntz..selden speken togideres. c 1400 New Test. (Paues) Acts xxvi. 31 [They] wente biside ande speke togider. c 1450 Lovelich Merlin 3201 Thanne spoken they to-gederes hem be-twene. 1593 Shakes. Rich. II, ii. iii. 29 He was not so resolu'd, when we last spake together. 1677 Coles Eng.-Lat. Dict. (ed. 17) 1764 To speak together, colloquor. 1859 Tennyson Marr. Geraint 385 While the Prince and Earl Yet spoke together.

    21. speak up. a. To speak strongly for (= on behalf of, in defence of) a person.

1705 Hearne Collect. 17 Oct. (O.H.S.) I. 57, I spoke up for him. 1844 Dickens Mart. Chuz. xliv, It's all very well for you to speak up for him... You'll get a fortune by him.

    b. To raise the voice in speaking; to talk boldly or unreservedly; to break into speech.

a 1723 in Child Ballads III. 135/2 Speak up, jolly blade, never fear. 1863 Mrs. H. Wood Trevlyn Hold II. 226 Timid Mrs. Chattaway..spoke up to the rescue. 1865 Kingsley Herew. i, Out he stepped to your father's side, and spoke right up before the king. 1896 [see specksioneer].

    IV. trans.
    22. a. To articulate or utter (a word or words).
    to speak not a word of, to make no mention or suggestion of. to speak a (good) word for: see word n.

Beowulf 341 Wlanc Wedera leod word æfter spræc. 971 Blickl. Hom. 31 Se forhwyrfda gast spræc forhwyrfedlice word. c 1000 Ags. Ps. (Thorpe) lvii. 3 Syððan..heo on life lyᵹe-word spæcon. c 1200 Moral Ode 9 (Trin. Coll. MS.), Fele idel word ich habbe ispeken. a 1300 Cursor M. 4342 Ar i ga þou spek wit me a word or tua. a 1400–50 Alexander 243 Þou a wirschipfull worde has werpid & spoken. 1470–85 Malory Arthur xviii. xx. 761 There they fond..a poure man sittyng in the bargets ende and no word wold he speke. 1542 Udall Erasm. Apoph. ii. 176 A sorte of the Grekes..spake many woordes of reproche by the kyng. 1611 Bible 2 Sam. xix. 10 Why speake ye not a word of bringing the king backe? 1651 Hobbes Leviath. iii. xxxii. 196 Though the mind be incapable of any Notion at all from the words spoken. 1755 B. Martin Mag. Arts & Sci. 13, I will follow, when I have spoke a Word to one of the Millers. 1806 Wordsw. Horn Egremont Castle 87 Thou hast a dungeon, speak the word! And there he may be lodged, and thou be Lord. 1885 ‘Mrs. Alexander’ At Bay ix, Elsie followed her into the hall to speak some last words.

    b. With cognate accus.: To utter, make, or deliver (a speech or statement).

c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. xxxv. §5 On ða ilcan spræce þe þu ær spræce. c 930 Laws Athelstane vi. viii. §8 (Liebermann I. 180/1), Maniᵹe men specað ᵹemahlice spræce. a 1300 K. Horn 387 He spac faire speche. c 1400 Destr. Troy 8864 When his speche was spokyn, & sped to þe last. 1590 Shakes. Mids. N. iii. i. 77 When you haue spoken your speech, enter into that Brake. 1603 ― Meas. for M. v. 265 One that hath spoke most villanous speeches of the Duke. 1712 Hearne Collect. 24 May, He desir'd that he might speak a speech publickly upon that occasion. 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. i. v. i, Speeches are spoken;..audible within doors and without. 1876 ‘L. Carrol’ Hunting the Snark iv. vii, The rest of my speech..You shall hear when I've leisure to speak it.

    c. Similarly with other objects denoting a word, sentence, speech, etc., uttered or recited. to speak one's piece: see piece n. 17 g.

a 1300 Cursor M. 23945 Spell yeit i wald spek if i cuth. c 1375 Ibid. 1616 (Fairf.), Þe propheci..þat spokin was of þat childe dere. c 1400 Rom. Rose 7519 Thou spak a jape not long ago..Of a young man. 1553 T. Wilson Rhet. (1580) 169 Some will speake Oracles, that a manne can not tell whiche waie to take them. 1598 Shakes. Merry W. iii. v. 75 After we had embrast,..& (as it were) spoke the prologue of our Comedy. 1653 Walton Angler 184, I will speak you a copy of verses. 1795 Wolcot (P. Pindar) Pindariana Wks. 1812 IV. 245 He made many quotations and spoke them with propriety. 1823 Scott Quentin D. xxxii, The last sentence was spoken in a tone which made all the councillors tremble. 1861 Paley Aeschylus (ed. 2) Choeph. 915 note, Orestes..speaks two continuous verses. 1865 Morris Jason iii. 291 Whose name I speak not.

fig. 1599 B. Jonson Cynthia's Rev. ii. iii, He speakes all creame, skimd. 1634 Milton Comus 804 As when the wrath of Jove Speaks thunder..To som of Saturns crew.

    † d. To employ (the voice) in utterance. Obs.

1382 Wyclif Rev. x. 3 And whan he hadde cried, seuene thundres spaken her voices. a 1586 Sidney Ps. xviii. iv, Then thundred heav'nly sire, Then spake he his lowd voice.

    23. a. To utter or say (something) by way of a remark or statement.
    The object is freq. a pronoun, as it, this, etc., or a relative clause introduced by that (which) or what.

Beowulf 531 Hwæt þu worn fela..ymb Brecan spræce. c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. xxxviii. §3 For oðrum ðincgum ic hit spræc ᵹet swiðor. 971 Blickl. Hom. 19 Eac is to ᵹeþencenne hwæt Drihten spræc. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Mark xiii. 11 Specað þæt eow on þære tide ᵹe-seald bið. a 1122 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1048, Eustatius..spæc wið hine þæt þæt he þa wolde. c 1160 Hatton Gosp. John xii. 50 Þa þing þe ic sprece ic speke swa se fader me saiᵹde. c 1205 Lay. 26868 Þis wes al þus ispeken. 13.. Cursor M. 19115 (Gött.), Þe apostlis speckand þis and mare, Þe preistes come. 1382 Wyclif Mark xiii. 11 Speke ȝe that thing that schal be ȝouen to ȝou in that our. 1422 tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 188 What is that, that thou spekyste. 1582 Allen Martyrdom Campion (1908) 47 He was urged..to speake what he thought of the said Bull of Pius Quintus. 1622 Fletcher Span. Cur. v. i, I dare tell you..what I have spoken Freely behind your back. a 1662 Heylin Laud (1668) 378 To speak the matter in a word. 1711 Spectator No. 192 ¶6 The most indifferent thing has its Force and Beauty when it is spoke by a kind Father. 1780 Mirror No. 99, The account he gives of his own feelings..is evidently spoken in earnest. 1830 tr. Aristophanes' Acharn. 26 Grant me yet thy pardon, if..I have spoke or triflingly uttered anything. 1871 R. Ellis tr. Catullus li. 2 He, if I dare speak it, ascends above them [the Gods].

    b. With objective clause: To state or declare that, etc.

Beowulf 1595 Gomele ymb godne on ᵹeador spræcon, þæt hiᵹ þæs æðelinges eft ne wendon [etc.]. c 900 tr. Baeda's Hist. iii. ii. (1890) 156 Ða ᵹehyrde he sumne þara broðra sprecan, þæt he wolde feran to þæm halᵹan Cristes mæle. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 369 Murtherers..which spake it of theyr own mind, that Fernando Gonzage had waged them to slay Octavius. 1611 Shakes. Cymb. iv. ii. 354 The ruine speakes, that sometime It was a worthy building. 1663 Gerbier Counsel 62 Experience speaks that as times change..prises may alter. 1766 Complete Farmer s.v. Surveying, The farmer speaks loudly, that..no more should be measured..than the plow or scythe can go over.

    c. With superlative adjs. as (one's) best, last.

a 1631 Donne Poems (1650) 59 Here dead men speake their last. 1876 Trevelyan Macaulay II. ix. 132 In the set party fights..he did not speak his best.

    24. To utter or express (truth, falsehood, etc.) in words or speech.

Beowulf 2864 Þæt la mæᵹ secgan, se ðe wyle soð specan [etc.]. c 825 Vesp. Psalter v. 7 Ðu forspildes hie ða ða spreocað leasunge. Ibid. xxvii. 3 Ða ðe spreocað sibbe mid ðone nestan. 971 Blickl. Hom. 223 He a to æᵹhwylcum soð & riht sprecende wæs. c 1000 Lambeth Ps. cxliii. 8 Þara muð specende wæs idelnesse. a 1225 Ancr. R. 82 Ful speche is as of lecherie,..þæt unweaschene muðes spekeð oþer hwule. 13.. Deo Gratias 68 in E.E.P. (1862) 126 Þenne i rede þou rule þe so Þat Men may speke worschupe bi þe. 1382 Wyclif Jude 16 The mouth of hem spekith pride. c 1400 Rom. Rose 7514 For it is better stille be, Than for to speken harme. 1470–85 Malory Arthur x. viii. 425 Alle knyghtes speken of hym worship. 1535 Coverdale Eph. iv. 15 Speake euery man the trueth vnto his neghboure. 1598 Shakes. Merry W. ii. i. 129 Beleeue it (Page) he speakes sence. 1646 Crashaw Steps to Temple 74 O, 'tis not Spanish, but 'tis heaven she speaks. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 35 ¶1 If they speak Nonsense, they believe they are talking Humour. a 1766 F. Sheridan Nourjahad (1767) 179 Nothing is more certain..than that Cozro has spoke the truth. 1816 Scott Bl. Dwarf xii, My cousin Ellieslaw, who speaks treason as if it were a child's nursery rhymes. 1841 Browning Pippa Passes Poems (1905) 169 Do you think I fear to speak the bare truth once for all?

    25. With preps.: To utter or direct (words, remarks, etc.) against, to (also † on, upon, etc.) a person. Also fig.

c 825 Vesp. Psalter cviii. 20 Ða ðe spreocað yfel [L. mala] wið sawle minre. c 1000 Lambeth Ps. cviii. 20 Þa þe specaþ yfelu toᵹeanes sawle mine. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 13 Ne spec þu aȝein þine nexta nane false witnesse. a 1300 E.E. Psalter xxvii. 4 Þat spekes pees to neghburgh hisse. a 1300 Cursor M. 16495 Þai..sal on me tresun spek. 1338 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 63 Forto..destroie þat kynde, þat ouht to him couth speke. 1535 Coverdale Ps. lxxxiv. 8 He shal speake peace vnto his people. Ibid. cviii. 20 Those that speake euell agaynst my soule. 1547 Homilies i. Contention T j b, To suffre euery man to speake vpon me what thei list. 1599 Shakes. Much Ado v. i. 21 Men Can..speake comfort to that griefe, Which they themselues not feele. 1603 ― Meas. for M. v. i. 129 For certaine words he spake against your Grace In your retirment. 1821 Wordsw. Eccl. Sonnets iii. ii, Last night..that Vision spake Fear to my Soul. 1838 [I. Williams] Cathedral 144 Love..Speaks peace to fall'n humanity.

    26. a. To declare in words: to make known by speech; to tell (of).
    to speak one's mind: see mind n.¹ 9 a.

c 825 Vesp. Psalter xvi. 4 Ðætte..ne sprece muð min wirc monna. Ibid. lxxvii. 2 Ic spreocu foresetenisse from fruman weorulde. c 1000 Lambeth Ps. cxliv. 11 Wuldor rices þines hi cweðaþ..& mihte þine hi specaþ. c 1200 Ormin 12965 Forr þatt he wollde beldenn hemm To spekenn þeȝȝre nede. a 1300 Cursor M. 24074 Þat es na tung mai speke wit word..Hu þat vr stur was strang. 1382 Wyclif 1 Cor. ii. 7 We speken the wysdom of God, that is hid in mysterie. 1513 Bk. Keruynge A iv, Than serue ye forth the table manerly, y{supt} euery man may speke your curtesy. 1595 Shakes. John iii. i. 39 What other harme haue I..done, But spoke the harme that is by others done? 1611 Tourneur Ath. Trag. ii. i, Here's one,..saies hee is newly returned from Ostend, and has some businesse of import to speake. 1693 Prior C'tess Exeter playing on Lute 17 Your Art no other Art can speak. 1760–72 H. Brooke Fool of Qual. (1809) III. 40 You have, in a few words, spoke the whole of the matter. 1812 Crabbe Tales iv. 279 Speak, then, my fate. 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. i. iii. iii, Bound to speak his opinion. 1852 Thackeray Esmond ii. ii, I spoke my business.

    b. To state or declare in writing, etc.

a 1225 Ancr. R. 48 Þis is nu ðe uorme dole, þet ich habbe ispeken hiderto, of ower seruise. c 1449 Pecock Repr. i. x. 51 The firste of the iij. opiniouns spoken and sett forth..in the first chapiter. 1562 Winȝet Wks. (S.T.S.) I. 4 Albeit the time be schort, sumthing of ȝour prais man we speik. 1604 E. G[rimstone] D'Acosta's Hist. Indies iii. iii. 127 Of the West, I cannot speake any thing certaine or generall. 1672 in E. B. Jupp Carpenters' Co. (1887) 305 The said Statute..makes no mencion at all nor speakes a tittle of a Joyner. a 1763 W. King Polit. & Lit. Anecd. (1819) 121, I speak this upon a supposition that Bing [sic] was justly put to death. 1849 Rock Ch. of Fathers i. viii. (1903) III. 45 The monument itself, with its little chantry altar,..speaks what was his belief while here.

    c. transf. Of musical instruments: To announce, indicate, or proclaim by sound.

1702 Rowe Tamerl. i. i. 120 These Trumpets speak his Presence. 1781 Cowper Anti-Thelyphth. 161 The trumpet now spoke Marmadan at hand. 1837 A. Tennent Force Imag. 7 In mournful plaints of sorrow now It [sc. the pibroch] speaks the battle's close.

    27. To use as a language; to talk.

1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 7539 Þe normans..speke french as hii dude atom. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) I. 345 Þis Gaythelus kouþe speke many langages and tonges. 1456 Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 22 [He] coude wele speke the langage of Grece and of Latyne. 1530 Palsgr. 727/1 They speke a pedlars frenche amongest them selfe. 1610 Holland Camden's Brit. (1637) 596 Welsh and English speaking both languages. 1720 De Foe Capt. Singleton xvi. (1840) 281 Can they speak Dutch? 1756 M. Calderwood in Coltness Collect. (Maitl. Club) 204 The collonell..has been over all Europe, and speaks all the languages. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. vii. II. 225 He knew no language but the English, as it was spoken by the common people. 1910 Haverfield in Encycl. Brit. IV. 587/1 By this time the town populations..spoke Latin.

    † 28. a. To make mention of (a person); to speak of or mention in a certain way; to commend (one) to another. Obs.

1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 2390 Princes oueral aboute of ech kinedom Speke him vuel & hated him. a 1300 Cursor M. 12005 Sum him loued and spack o prise. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints iii. (Andrew) 975 For men will lichtly spek þe ill. c 1449 Pecock Repr. ii. x. 203 The King..whom the lesson of prophetis hath bifore spokun. 1613 Shakes. Hen. VIII, iv. ii. 32 Yet thus farre Griffith, giue me leaue to speake him, And yet with Charity. 1618 Sir D. Carleton Lett. (1775) 259 Who they [the ambassadors] shall be, is not yet fully determined; but count Ernest of Nassau is chiefly spoken. a 1657 Loveday Lett. (1663) 58, I pray speak me to her in the best Language of affection.

    † b. To assign or dedicate. Obs.^—1

1502 Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W. 1506) i. ii, All these thynges the whiche be spoken and consecrate unto god.

    c. To bespeak or order. rare.

1508 Stanbridge Vulgaria (W. de W.) B v, I haue spoken a payre of shone agaynst sondaye. 1936 J. Steinbeck In Dubious Battle vi. 97 If the bitch ever whelps, I'd like to speak a pup.

    † d. To use as a term or phrase. Obs.^—1

1579 E. K. Gloss. Spenser's Sheph. Cal. Apr. 118 A beauie of Ladyes, is spoken figuratively for a company or troupe.

    29. a. To indicate, denote, or betoken; to reveal, make known.

1588 Shakes. Tit. A. i. 438 Lord Titus,..Whose fury not dissembled speakes his griefes. 1608 ― Per. i. iii. 14 His seal'd commission, left in trust with me, Doth speak sufficiently he's gone to travel. 1662 Stillingfl. Orig. Sacræ ii. ii. §7 Two things speak much the wisdom of a Nation; good Laws, and a prudent management of them. 1727 A. Hamilton New Acc. E. Ind. I. x. 100 Some Porches and broken Pillars I have seen, that speak their ancient Grandeur. 1770 Goldsm. Des. Vill. 122 The loud laugh that spoke the vacant mind. 1812 Byron Ch. Har. i. lxxvi, Loud bellowings speak his woes. 1856 Emerson Eng. Traits, Land, The solidity of the structures..speaks the industry of ages.

refl. 1850 Carlyle Latter-d. Pamph. v. (1872) 166 William the Silent spake himself best in a country liberated.

    b. Of the countenance, eyes, etc.: To indicate or manifest by expression.
    to speak daggers: see dagger n.¹ 3 b.

1601 Shakes. All's Well i. iii. 185 Thine eies See it so grosely showne in thy behauiours, That in their kinde they speake it. 1666 Dryden Ann. Mirab. lxxiii, His face spake hope, while deep his Sorrows flow. 1792 Burns Duncan Gray iv, And oh! her een, they spak' sic things! 1820 Keats Isabella v, If looks speak love-laws, I will drink her tears. 1859 J. Watson Bards Border 78 Her look spoke affection.

    † c. refl. Of things: To be self-evident. Obs. (Cf. 10 e.)

1689 Popple tr. Locke's 1st Let. Toleration L.'s Wks. 1727 II. 244 Let us apply the last Case..and the Thing speaks itself. 1693 Dryden Juvenal iii. Argt., The Story of this Satyr speaks it self.

    30. a. To manifest or show (a person, thing, etc.) to be or do a certain thing, or to possess a certain quality or character. Const. with simple complement or with to be. Now arch.

(a) 1605 Shakes. Macb. iv. iii. 159 Sundry Blessings hang about his Throne, That speake him full of Grace. 1666 Dryden Ann. Mirab. xxiii, Men quit the open air, When Thunder speaks the angry Gods abroad. 1709 Steele Tatler No. 75 ¶3 His whole Person is finely turned, and speaks him a Man of Quality. 1796–7 Jane Austen Pride & Prej. (1813) 139 A sudden noise below seemed to speak the whole house in confusion.

(b) 1642 Fuller Holy & Prof. State ii. viii. 79 Which speaks his judgement to be better then his invention. a 1701 Maundrell Journ. Jerus. (1732) 137 This speaks it self to have been part of some very August Pile. 1774 Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1862) I. xi. 209 Each of which [varieties]..speaks the kind seldom to have mixed with any other. 1808 Helen St. Victor Ruins of Rigonda II. 156 His graceful carriage..spoke him to be a person very different from what his plain garb might naturally denote. 1821 Scott Pirate xxii, His acquaintance with the English language..plainly spoke him to be an Englishman.

    b. To term or call; to describe as. rare.

1617 Fletcher Valentinian v. viii, Mays't thou live ever spoken our Protector. 1825 Scott Talism. xiv, Report speaks thee one unlikely to return thus from fight.

    c. To describe (a person). Now arch.

1623 B. Jonson Underwoods, Celebr. Charis viii, Make account,..And that quickly, speak your Man. 1662 Cokaine Trag. Ovid iii. i, You mistake me, I cannot speak her to her merit. 1703 Rowe Ulyss. i. i, But be it as it may; it speaks you well. 1780 Cowper Progr. Error 460 How shall I speak thee, or thy pow'r address, Thou god of our idolatry, the press? 1819 Scott Ivanhoe xxxix, Thou hast spoken the Jew,..as the persecution of such as thou art has made him. 1859 Tennyson Elaine 154 To speak him true,..No keener hunter after glory breathes.

    31. To express or signify. Now rare.
    to speak volumes: see volume n.

1645 Rutherford Tryal & Tri. Faith (1845) 32 Ram⁓horns speak not taking of towns in an ordinary providence. 1674 N. Fairfax Bulk & Selv. 200 And they were so ready to make World speak seculum, that where we give a much unlike meaning, they still hold to it. 1875 E. White Life in Christ ii. ix. (1878) 93 Men have compelled the narrative to speak a meaning contrary to its intention.

    32. a. To send to, to cause to pass or enter into (another state, condition, or position) by speaking. Also refl. and with adj. complement.

1684 Brook Precious Remedies 5 God can speak or nod you to hell in a moment. 1696 Brookhouse Temple Opened Pref. A iv, So Now, the same word..comes to speak the Ataxy or Irregularities of the Four Monarchies into..an Harmonious Frame. 1781 Cowper Expost. 256 He will be found..Too just to wink, or speak the guilty clear. 1814 Scott Ld. of Isles iv. xxii, That glance, if guilty, would I dread More than the doom that spoke me dead! 1820 A. A. Watts in Wiffen Aonian Hours (ed. 2) p. x, With gratitude thy bosom swelleth To him—who spoke them into birth! 1833 New Monthly Mag. XXXVII. 356 He spoke himself into the Common Council.

    † b. To create by speaking. Obs.^—1 (Cf. 36 c.)

1735 S. Wesley Hymn, ‘The Lord of Sabbath’ iv, 'Twas great to speak the World from Nought, 'Twas greater to redeem.

    V. 33. a. To talk or converse with; to address.

c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. xii. 46 Soecende spreca him [L. loqui ei]. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 3400 Ðo cam ietro to moysen, To speken him and ðo kinnes-men. c 1450 Lovelich Grail liv. 28 Welcome..ȝe be, longe haue I desired ȝow to speken & se. 1561 in Maitl. Cl. Misc. III. 290 He wald cum to þar chalmer and speik tham. 1581 A. Hall Iliad viii. 140 Thus Hector comforts vp his mates, and speaks his horse. c 1690 J. Kirkton Hist. Ch. Scot. viii. (1817) 330 The two brethren went and spoke the Lord Stair. 1722 De Foe Col. Jack ix, What, do you want to speak with the great master? He can't be spoke by you. 1805 Scott Last Minstr. vi. xxvi, Like him of whom the story ran, Who spoke the spectre-hound in Man. 1852 Bailey Festus (ed. 4) 331 Speaking him In that instinctive Paradisal tongue.

    b. To communicate with (a passing vessel) at sea, by signal, speaking-trumpet, etc. Cf. 17 b.

1792 M. Riddell Voy. Madeira 20 We spoke several East Indiamen. 1793 Nelson 11 Oct. in Nicholas Disp. (1845) I. 331 Yesterday I spoke a Ship from Gibraltar. 1816 Tuckey Narr. Exped. R. Zaire i. (1818) 10 We saw several vessels, but spoke none. 1840 R. H. Dana Bef. Mast xxxv, She hove-to for us, seeing that we wished to speak her. 1885 Times (weekly ed.) 18 Sept. 14/2 A service of swift yawls..to run out and speak the fishing boats.

transf. 1848 Dickens Dombey xxxix, Two or three stragglers..‘spoke him’—so the captain entered it—on the subject of spectacles.

    34. a. to speak (one) fair, to address (a person) courteously or kindly. (Cf. fair adv. 2.)

c 1375 Cursor M. 6836 (Fairf.), Speke ham faire wiþ þi mouþe. 1533 More Apol. 71 b, I am content to..geue them no wors wordes agayn then yf they speke me fayre. 1583 B. Melbancke Philotimus E iij b, They thought it good to..speake him faire while their feete were in his mouth. 1690 Dryden Amphitryon ii. ii, Thou wouldst have a woman of the town..to be always speaking my husband fair! 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. xxxiii, I spoke the wretch fair; I appeared to confide in her. 1861 Geo. Eliot Silas M. i, He was worth speaking fair, if it was only to keep him from doing you a mischief.

fig. 1669 Dryden Tyrannic Love iv. i, Heaven speaks me fair.

    b. With other advs.

1871 Browning Balaust. 1562 If thou speak us ill Many a true and ill thing shalt thou hear! 1872 Tennyson Gareth & Lynette 470 Lancelot ever spake him pleasantly.

    VI. With advs. in special senses.
    † 35. speak forth, to utter, declare, proclaim.

1526 Tindale Matt. xiii. 35, I wyll..speake forth thinges whych have bene kepte secrete from the begynnynge off the worlde. 1611 Bible Acts xxvi. 25, I..speake foorth the words of trueth and sobernesse. 1674 N. Fairfax Bulk & Selv. 191 It would not..more fully speak forth its boundlessness. 1730 Bailey (fol.), To Utter, to pronounce or speak forth.

    36. speak out (cf. 18). a. To utter; to make known in words; to declare openly or clearly.

1382 Wyclif Acts xxvi. 25, I speke out the wordus of treuthe and sobrenesse. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 468/1 Spekyn owte, exprimo. c 1449 Pecock Repr. iii. x. 339 That he meened so myche bi hise..wordis, thouȝ he not alle hem out spake. 1602 Shakes. Ham. ii. ii. 545 'Tis well, Ile haue thee speake out the rest, soone. 1648 J. Beaumont Psyche ii. clxiv, I'll make his Dumbness find a Tongue To speak out his imposture. 1676 [see mind n.1 9 a]. 1815 Scott Guy M. xii, You will often hear it mentioned... I will therefore speak it out. 1855 Thackeray Newcomes II. xxi. 209, I have no right..to hear him speak out his heart, and tell it to any friend. 1889 Jessopp Coming of Friars i. 42 Henry..spoke out his mind and showed that he was not too well-pleased.

    b. Of things: To declare, manifest, etc.

1613 Shakes. Hen. VIII, ii. iv. 140 If thy rare qualities..could speake thee out. 1675 Brooks Gold. Key Wks. 1867 V. 175 Now what do all these things speak out, but the certainty and reality of Christ's manhood? 1715 J. Chappelow Rt. Way to be Rich (1717) 52 He is the highest bidder, and this speaks him out to be the greatest merchant.

    c. poet. To create by speaking. rare. (Cf. 32 b.)

1635–56 Cowley Davideis i. 783 They sung how God spoke out the worlds vast ball. 1844 Mrs. Browning Drama of Exile 1055, I am the spirit of the harmless earth. God spake me softly out among the stars.

    d. To talk out (see talk v. 9).

1893 Westm. Gaz. 30 Mar. 2/3 He spoke with the obvious intention of speaking out the Bill.

    37. Comb. speak-a-word room Sc. (see quots.); speak-back = talk-back; speak-box, an intercom device by a (usu. outside) door which allows a caller to speak to someone elsewhere in the building (cf. voice-box (b) s.v. voice n. 14); speak-out, an occasion on which people can speak freely and unreservedly; † speak-room = speak-house 1; † speak-truth, one who tells the truth; speak-your-weight machine, a weighing machine which announces one's weight in spoken words.

1614 R. Tailor Hog hath lost Pearl in Dodsley O. Pl. (1780) VI. 427 But I do trouble thee too much, therefore Good Speak-truth, farewel. 1756 M. Calderwood in Coltness Collect. (Maitland Club) 175 The nuns..said they never wore it but when they came to the speak-room. 1825 Jamieson Suppl., Speak-a-Word-Room, a parlour. 1839 Chambers Tour Holland 23/1 Then we were whirled down again into a little speak-a-word room. 1940 Chambers's Techn. Dict. 788/1 Speak-back, the subsidiary microphone-amplifier-reproducer in a motion-picture studio, by which the remote recordist can speak to the director on the sound-stage. 1960 Guardian 14 Apr. 8/3 His most recent hero..attempts to teach speak-your-weight machines to sing. 1962 N. Freeling Love in Amsterdam ii. 106 The buzzer went, and he heard Sophia's voice on the speakbox. 1966 Illustr. London News 30 July 11 Kidbrooke has its own T.V. studio which incorporates a ‘speak-back’. 1966 L. Deighton Billion-Dollar Brain xv. 146 His voice was..like a speak-your-weight machine. 1968 Guardian 19 Aug. 14/5 Americans Abroad for McCarthy held a ‘speak out’ near the Speakers' Corner in a sunlit but swampy Hyde Park yesterday. 1970 W. J. Burley To kill a Cat ix. 152 He rang the bell. Almost at once he was startled by a woman's voice from close at hand. A speak-box which he hadn't expected. He found the little metal grille and spoke into it. ‘Come up, please.’ 1977 Daily Tel. 25 Oct. 11/4 At the New York ‘speak out’, women were invited to tell anonymously of abuse suffered from promiscuous or sexually taunting male employers or superiors.

Oxford English Dictionary