Speak \Speak\, v. i. [imp. Spoke(SpakeArchaic); 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.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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