Speak (?), v. i. [imp. Spoke (?) (Spake (&unr_;) Archaic); 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. sphūrj 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.
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Till at the last spake in this manner. Chaucer.
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Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth. 1 Sam. iii. 9.
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2. To express opinions; to say; to talk; to converse.
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That fluid substance in a few minutes begins to set, as the tradesmen speak. Boyle.
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An honest man, is able to speak for himself, when a knave is not. Shak.
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During the century and a half which followed the Conquest, there is, to speak strictly, no English history. Macaulay.
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3. To utter a speech, discourse, or harangue; to adress a public assembly formally.
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Many of the nobility made themselves popular by speaking in Parliament against those things which were most grateful to his majesty. Clarendon.
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4. To discourse; to make mention; to tell.
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Lycan speaks of a part of Cæsar's army that came to him from the Leman Lake. Addison.
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5. To give sound; to sound.
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Make all our trumpets speak. Shak.
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6. To convey sentiments, ideas, or intelligence as if by utterance; as, features that speak of self-will.
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Thine eye begins to speak. Shak.
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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.
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Syn. -- To say; tell; talk; converse; discourse; articulate; pronounce; utter.
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