English Dictionary: Speaking | by the DICT Development Group |
3 results for Speaking | |
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]: | |
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From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: | |
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. sph[umac]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[91]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. [bd]Would you speak with me?[b8] --Shak. Syn: To say; tell; talk; converse; discourse; articulate; pronounce; utter. | |
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: | |
Speaking \Speak"ing\, a. 1. Uttering speech; used for conveying speech; as, man is a speaking animal; a speaking tube. 2. Seeming to be capable of speech; hence, lifelike; as, a speaking likeness. {A speaking acquaintance}, a slight acquaintance with a person, or one which merely permits the exchange of salutations and remarks on indifferent subjects. {Speaking trumpet}, an instrument somewhat resembling a trumpet, by which the sound of the human voice may be so intensified as to be conveyed to a great distance. {Speaking tube}, a tube for conveying speech, especially from one room to another at a distance. {To be on speaking terms}, to be slightly acquainted. |