speak volumes

English

WOTD – 15 May 2016

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: speak vol‧umes

Verb

speak volumes (third-person singular simple present speaks volumes, present participle speaking volumes, simple past spoke volumes, past participle spoken volumes)

1. To talk a great deal.

   I can speak volumes about this school.

2. To convey significant information beyond what is explicit, especially unintentionally.

   In our day-to-day experiences, it is often such nonverbal emotional information carried by the human voice that “speaks volumes.”

3. (of an action, situation, or object) To convey significant information.

   The way you listen speaks volumes.

   The lighted decorated Christmas tree, a treat for all, speaks volumes of meaning.

   • 1990, Roy Hollis, Eve, New York, N.Y.: Vantage Press, →ISBN:

     I waited, anticipating her reply. Her hesitation spoke volumes.

Synonyms

• tell volumes

Hypernyms

• (to convey significant information beyond what is explicit): connote

Translations

to convey significant information beyond what is explicit

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: please add this translation if you can

• Dutch: boekdelen spreken
• Finnish: kertoa paljon
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• French: en dire long (fr), vouloir tout dire
• German: Bände sprechen (de), viel besagen
• Italian: dirla lunga
• Russian: please add this translation if you can

Further reading

• “speak volumes”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.