speak

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to express in speech

   They speak elegantly.

2. 2
   verb

   to exchange thoughts

   We spoke to one another.

3. 3
   verb

   to use language

   I can speak.

4. 4
   verb

   make a characteristic or natural sound

   The ape's speech follows patterns.

5. 5
   verb

   To communicate with one's voice, to say words out loud.

   And Vickers launched forth into a tirade very different from his platform utterances. He spoke with extreme contempt of the dense stupidity exhibited on all occasions by the working classes. He said that if you wanted to do anything for them, you must rule them, not pamper them.

6. 6
   verb

   To have a conversation.

   It's been ages since we've spoken.

7. 7
   verb

   To communicate or converse by some means other than orally, such as writing or facial expressions.

   He spoke of it in his diary.

8. 8
   verb

   To deliver a message to a group; to deliver a speech.

   This evening I shall speak on the topic of correct English usage.

Etymology

From Middle English speke, speken (“to speak”), from Old English specan (“to speak”). This is usually taken to be an irregular alteration of earlier sprecan, spreocan (“to speak”), from Proto-West Germanic *sprekan, from Proto-Germanic *sprekaną (“to speak, make a sound”), from Proto-Indo-European *spreg- (“to make a sound, utter, speak”). Finding this proposed loss of r from the stable cluster spr unparalleled, Hill instead sets up a different root, Proto-West Germanic *spekan (“to negotiate”) from Proto-Indo-European *bʰégʾ-e- (“to distribute”) with *s-mobile, which collapsed in meaning with…