speak
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also -speak
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English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Middle English speken (“to speak”), from Old English specan (“to speak”), alteration of earlier sprecan (“to speak”), from Proto-Germanic *sprekaną (“to speak, make a sound”), from Proto-Indo-European *spreg- (“to make a sound, utter, speak”). Cognate with West Frisian sprekke, Low German spreken (“to speak”), Dutch spreken (“to speak”), German sprechen (“to speak”), and also with Albanian shpreh (“to utter, voice, express”) through Indo-European.
Pronunciation[edit]
Verb[edit]
speak (third-person singular simple present speaks or (archaic) speaketh, present participle speaking, simple past spoke or (archaic) spake, past participle spoken)
- (intransitive) To communicate with one's voice, to say words out loud.
- I was so surprised I couldn't speak.
- You're speaking too fast.
- (intransitive) To have a conversation.
- It's been ages since we've spoken.
- (by extension) To communicate or converse by some means other than orally, such as writing or facial expressions.
- He spoke of it in his diary
- Speak to me only with your eyes.
- I just spoke with them on IRC.
- Actions speak louder than words.
- (intransitive) To deliver a message to a group; to deliver a speech.
- This evening I shall speak on the topic of correct English usage.
- (transitive) To be able to communicate in a language.
- He speaks Mandarin fluently.
- (transitive) To utter.
- I was so surprised that I couldn't speak a word.
- 1611, Authorized King James Version (Bible translation), Jeremiah 9:5:
- And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity.
- (transitive) To communicate (some fact or feeling); to bespeak, to indicate.
- 1851, Herman Melville, Moby-Dick:
- There he sat, his very indifference speaking a nature in which there lurked no civilized hypocrisies and bland deceits.
- 1851, Herman Melville, Moby-Dick:
- (informal, transitive, sometimes humorous) To understand (as though it were a language).
- Sorry, I don't speak idiot.
- So you can program in C. But do you speak C++?
Synonyms[edit]
Derived terms[edit]
Terms derived from speak
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phrasal verbs idioms |
Related terms[edit]
Translations[edit]
to communicate with one's voice using words
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to have a conversation
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to communicate or converse by some means other than orally
to be able to communicate in a language
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Noun[edit]
speak (uncountable)
- language, jargon, or terminology used uniquely in a particular environment or group.
- Corporate speak; IT speak
Derived terms[edit]
Translations[edit]
Noun[edit]
speak (plural speaks)
Statistics[edit]
Anagrams[edit]
Scots[edit]
Pronunciation[edit]
Verb[edit]
tae speak (third-person singular simple present speaks, present participle speakin, simple past spak, past participle spoken)
- to speak
Derived terms[edit]
Derived terms
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Categories:
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms derived from Old English
- English terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- English verbs
- English informal terms
- English jocular terms
- English nouns
- English uncountable nouns
- English countable nouns
- English dated terms
- English irregular verbs
- en:Talking
- Scots verbs
