Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Speak
Speak
,Verb.
I.
[
imp.
Spoke
(Spake
Archaic
); p. p.
Spoken
(Spoke
, Obs. or Colloq.
); p. pr. & vb. n.
Speaking
.] 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. Shakespeare
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 Caesar’s army that came to him from the Leman Lake. Addison.
5.
To give sound; to sound.
Make all our trumpets
speak
. Shakespeare
6.
To convey sentiments, ideas, or intelligence as if by utterance;
as, features that
. speak
of self-willThine eye begins to
speak
. Shakespeare
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.
Speak
,Verb.
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
sense3.
To declare; to proclaim; to publish; to make known; to exhibit; to express in any way.
It is my father;s muste
To
To
speak
your deeds. Shakespeare
Speaking
a still good morrow with her eyes. Tennyson.
And for the heaven's wide circuit, let it
The maker's high magnificence.
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
LatinAnd 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
And
speak
the lovely caravan. Emerson.
To speak a ship
(Naut.)
, to hail and speak to her captain or commander.
Webster 1828 Edition
Speak
SPEAK
,Verb.
I.
1.
To utter words or articulate sounds, as human beings; to express thoughts bywords. Children learn to speak at an early age. The organs may be so obstructed that a man may not be able to speak. Speak, Lord , for thy servant hearth. I Sam. 3.2.
To utter a speech, discourse or harangue; to utter thoughts in a public assembly. A man may be well informed on a subject, and yet to diffident to speak in public. Many of the nobility make them selves popular by speaking in parliament against those things which were most grateful to his majesty.3.
To talk; to express opinions; to dispute. An honest man, sir, is able to speak for himself, when the knave is not.4.
To discourse; to make mention of. Lucan speaks of a part of Cesar's army that came to him from the Leman lake. The Scripture speaks only of those to whom it speaks.5.
To give sound. Make all your trumpets speak.