speak */*/*/

speak */*/*/
UK [spiːk] / US [spɪk] verb
Word forms "speak":
present tense I/you/we/they speak he/she/it speaks present participle speaking past tense spoke UK [spəʊk] / US [spoʊk] past participle spoken UK [ˈspəʊkən] / US [ˈspoʊkən]
1)
a) [intransitive] to talk to someone about something
speak to:

I phoned your office and spoke to your assistant.

speak with:

Let me speak with Jennifer and see what she thinks.

speak of:

People spoke of their fear as the flood waters rose.

speak about:

He spoke movingly about his son's struggle with cancer.

b) to talk about something in a particular way

Let me speak frankly.

2) [intransitive] to use your voice to talk

There was a long pause before she spoke again.

He spoke so softly it was difficult to hear what he said.

3) [transitive] to be able to talk in a particular language

Do you speak Chinese?

He speaks three languages.

4) [intransitive] to give a formal speech
speak at:

The local MP will be speaking at our graduation ceremony.

speak to:

Petersen spoke to an audience of 2,000 at the conference.

5) [intransitive/transitive] to express your ideas, thoughts, or opinions about something
speak against/in favour of:

Only a small group of people dared to speak against the war.

speak well/highly of someone (= say good things about someone):

Yvonne has spoken so highly of you.

speak badly/ill of someone (= say bad things about someone):

You shouldn't speak ill of your father.

6)
a) [intransitive] to speak to someone on the telephone

"Who's speaking?" "This is Mark Richards speaking."

b) used for telling someone who has called you on the telephone and has asked to talk to you that they are speaking to the right person

"Is Janey there, please?" "Speaking."

broadly/generally speaking — used for showing that what you are saying is usually true, but not in every instance

Generally speaking, pet owners are law-abiding citizens.

no ... to speak of — used for saying that something is so unimportant or so small that it is not worth mentioning

She has no money to speak of.

speak well for/of — to show that something is correct or effective

The lower crime rate speaks well for the police department's new strategy.

Phrasal verbs:
See:
action, turn II

English dictionary. 2014.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • speak — W1S1 [spi:k] v past tense spoke [spəuk US spouk] past participle spoken [ˈspəukən US ˈspou ] ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(in conversation)¦ 2¦(say words)¦ 3¦(language)¦ 4¦(formal speech)¦ 5¦(express ideas/opinions)¦ 6 so to speak 7 speak your mind …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • speak — [ spik ] (past tense spoke [ spouk ] ; past participle spo|ken [ spoukən ] ) verb *** ▸ 1 talk about something or to someone ▸ 2 use voice to talk ▸ 3 talk particular language ▸ 4 give formal speech ▸ 5 express ideas/thoughts ▸ 6 talk on… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • Speak — Ст …   Википедия

  • Speak — Speak, v. i. [imp. {Spoke}({Spake}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 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • speak — [spēk] vi. spoke, spoken, speaking [ME speken < OE specan, earlier sprecan, akin to Ger sprechen < IE base * sp(h)er(e) g , to strew, sprinkle > SPARK1, L spargere, to sprinkle: basic sense “to scatter (words)”] 1. to utter words with… …   English World dictionary

  • Speak — can mean: * Speech communication * SPEAK (Suicide Prevention Education Awareness for Kids), a Maryland based organization for suicide prevention * Speak (artist), the Hungarian rap artist and internet phenomenon famous for his anti war video *… …   Wikipedia

  • speak — ► VERB (past spoke; past part. spoken) 1) say something. 2) (speak to) talk to in order to advise, pass on information, etc. 3) communicate in or be able to communicate in (a specified language). 4) (speak for) express the views or position of …   English terms dictionary

  • Speak — Speak, v. t. 1. To utter with the mouth; to pronounce; to utter articulately, as human beings. [1913 Webster] They sat down with him upn ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him. Job. ii. 13. [1913 Webster] 2. To utter… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • speak of — ˈspeak of [transitive] [present tense I/you/we/they speak of he/she/it speaks of present participle speaking of past tense spoke of …   Useful english dictionary

  • speak — (v.) O.E. specan, variant of sprecan to speak (class V strong verb; past tense spræc, pp. sprecen), from P.Gmc. *sprekanan (Cf. O.S. sprecan, O.Fris. spreka, M.Du. spreken, O.H.G. sprehhan, Ger. sprechen to speak, O.N. spraki rumor …   Etymology dictionary

  • speak — speak, talk, converse can all mean to articulate words so as to express one s thoughts. Speak is, in general, the broad term and may refer to utterances of any kind, however coherent or however broken or disconnected, and with or without… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

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