▪ I. † speke1 Obs.—1
[ad. L. spec-us.]
A cave.
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xv. 270 Monkes..In spekes an in spelonkes selden speken togideres. |
▪ II. † speke2
Also 5 spek, 7 speak.
[a. MDu. or MLG. spēke spoke n.]
1. A handspike.
| 1366 in Nicolas Hist. Royal Navy (1847) II. 473 [For one other] wyndas [bought, with four] spekes [pertaining to the same, 12 d.]. 1417 in Riley Mem. Lond. (1868) 656 [Taking in his hands a certain staff commonly called a] spek. |
2. A wheel-spoke.
| ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 3264 The spekes was splentide alle with speltis of siluer. 1483 Cath. Angl. 353/1 A Speke (A Speke of a qwele), radius. 1485 in Ripon Ch. Acts (Surtees) 374, xxj axiltrees,..x gang de felghes,..iiij gang de spekes. 1617–8 Shuttleworths' Acc. (Chetham Soc.) 228, xj gange of fellice [felloes],..viij gange of speaks. |
▪ III. speke etc.,
obs. f. speak, etc.