speakspeak /spiːk/ ●●● S1 W1 verb (past tense spoke /spəʊk $ spoʊk/, past participle spoken /ˈspəʊkən $ ˈspoʊ-/) 
I spoke to her last Wednesday. ‘Hello, may I speak to Jim Smith?’ ‘Yes, speaking (=used on the telephone)’. I know her by sight, but not to speak to (=not well enough to talk to her).speak to somebody about something I haven’t spoken to Steve about all this.speak with somebody especially American English They did not want to speak with reporters.speak of something It was the first time she had ever spoken of marriage.► see thesaurus at talk2say words [intransitive] to use your voice to produce words: I was so shocked I couldn’t speak. He spoke very softly (=quietly).3language [transitive not in progressive] to be able to talk in a particular language: Do you speak English? I don’t speak a word of French (=do not speak any French at all).can/can’t speak something Several children in the class can’t speak English.French-speaking/Italian-speaking etc a German-speaking secretary4formal speech [intransitive] to make a formal speechspeak at Jones spoke at the teachers’ annual convention.speak to She asked me to speak to her students about my work in marketing.speak in favour of/against Only one MP spoke against the bill. → speaker(1)5express ideas/opinions [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to say something that expresses your ideas or opinionsspeak as a parent/teacher/democrat etc He emphasized that he was speaking as a private citizen, not in any official capacity.speak well/highly/ill of somebody (=say good or bad things about someone) Her co-workers spoke highly of her. It’s wrong to speak ill of the dead.strictly/generally/roughly speaking (=used when expressing an idea that you think is exactly true, generally true etc) Strictly speaking, it’s my money, not yours. I earned it.6so to speak used when you are saying something in words that do not have their usual meaning: We have to pull down the barriers, so to speak, of poverty.7 speak your mind to tell people exactly what you think, even if it offends them: He was a tough politician who wasn’t afraid to speak his mind.8be not speaking/not be on speaking terms if two people are not speaking, they do not talk to each other, usually because they have argued: He was not on speaking terms with his brother or sisters.9speak volumes (about/for something) if something speaks volumes, it clearly shows the nature of something or the feelings of a person: What you wear speaks volumes about you.10speak with one voice if a group of people speak with one voice, they all express the same opinion: On this issue, the 12 organizations spoke with one voice.11speak the same language if two people or groups speak the same language, they have similar attitudes and opinions12speak out of turn to say something when you do not have the right or authority to say it → actions speak louder than words at action1(13), → the facts speak for themselves at fact(8), → in a manner of speaking at manner(5)COLLOCATIONS– Meaning 5adverbsspeak well/highly of somebody (=say good things about them)· He always spoke very highly of Marge.speak ill of somebody (=say bad things about them)· She never speaks ill of him.speaking personally· Speaking personally, yes, this is a worry.strictly speaking· Strictly speaking, the tomato is a fruit.generally speaking· Generally speaking, the results have been good.roughly/broadly speaking· These innovations are, roughly speaking, what this book is about.relatively speaking· Relatively speaking, property there is still cheap.phrasesspeak as a parent/teacher etc· Speaking as a medical man, I'd advise you to take some exercise every day.THESAURUSto speak a languagespeak to be able to talk in a foreign language: · Do you speak German?· I learnt Spanish for years, but I still don’t speak it very well.be fluent in something to be very good at speaking and understanding a foreign language, so that you can speak it almost as well as your own language: · Applicants should be fluent in Cantonese.get by to speak enough of a language to be able to buy things, ask for help etc: · ‘What’s your Italian like?’ ‘Not great, but I can get by.’· I’ve just bought a book called ‘Get by in Portuguese'.have/pick up a smattering of something to speak or learn to speak a small but useful amount of a language: · While I was in Bali, I picked up a smattering of Indonesian.speak for phrasal verb1 speak for somebody/something to express the feelings, thoughts, or beliefs of a person or group of people: Dan, speaking for the students, started the meeting.2speak for yourself spoken used to tell someone that you do not have the same opinion as they do, or that something that is true for them is not true for you: ‘We don’t want to go.’ ‘Speak for yourself!’3be spoken for if something or someone is spoken for, they have already been promised to someone else: They’re all either married or spoken for.4speak for itself/themselves to show something very clearly: The results speak for themselves.speak of something phrasal verb1 literary to show clearly that something happened or exists: Her skin spoke of warm summer days spent in the sun.2no ... to speak of (also none/nothing to speak of) very little of something or a very small thing: There’s been no rain to speak of for several months. The house had no garden to speak of.speak out phrasal verb to publicly speak in protest about something, especially when protesting could be dangerousspeak out about/against Five students who had spoken out against the regime were arrested.speak to somebody/something phrasal verb1to talk to someone who has done something wrong and tell them not to do it again: Joe was late again today. You’ll have to speak to him.2if something such as a poem, painting, or piece of music speaks to you, you like it because it expresses a particular meaning, quality, or feeling to you: Modern art just doesn’t speak to me.3to show that a situation exists or something is true: This situation speaks to a need for a better tax system. The party's success speaks to the fact that many people in the US want change.4to talk or write about something, especially something that needs discussing or dealing with: I am qualified to speak to this issue.speak up phrasal verb1used to ask someone to speak louder: Could you speak up, please?2to say something, especially to express your opinion: There was a brief silence, then Gerald spoke up.3speak up for somebody to speak in support of someone: He is willing to speak up for the rights of women.
WORD ORIGINspeak
Origin:
Old English sprecan, specanVERB TABLE
speak
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | speak |
| he, she, it | speaks | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | spoke |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have spoken |
| he, she, it | has spoken | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had spoken |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will speak |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have spoken |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am speaking |
| he, she, it | is speaking | |
| you, we, they | are speaking | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was speaking |
| you, we, they | were speaking | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been speaking |
| he, she, it | has been speaking | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been speaking |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be speaking |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been speaking |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Speaking to Congress, the President appealed for cooperation in dealing with the sagging economy.
- Ambassador Simons has been asked to speak at the dinner.
- At the convention Ford spoke on immigration and social issues.
- Can you speak up? -- I can't hear you.
- Don't interrupt me when I'm speaking.
- Elaine speaks Spanish and Russian.
- He doesn't speak a word of French.
- How old are babies when they learn to speak?
- I've been invited to speak at the party's annual convention.
- I spoke to a few people at the party who knew him.
- Is there anyone here who can speak Arabic?
- Nadia speaks six languages.
- Sean didn't speak the whole time we were in the car.
- She was too nervous to speak.
- The brothers haven't spoken since the funeral.
- There's a man from the Times on the phone who wants to speak to you.
- Who are they getting to speak at this year's graduation ceremony?
- Don said he would be, but to please wait until after the Super Bowl to speak with him.
- I had spoken with other newspaper executives, too, on that day.
- People we spoke to were undecided.
- She mumbled something and Dove asked her to speak up.
- The shamans explain that, at that point, they begin to speak to the dolphins mind to mind.
- When both parties cease to speak you have hit deadlock - wrong!
- Why do people not just speak directly and say what they mean?
THESAURUSto speak a language
to be able to talk in a foreign language: · Do you speak German?· I learnt Spanish for years, but I still don’t speak it very well.
to be very good at speaking and understanding a foreign language, so that you can speak it almost as well as your own language: · Applicants should be fluent in Cantonese.
to speak enough of a language to be able to buy things, ask for help etc: · ‘What’s your Italian like?’ ‘Not great, but I can get by.’· I’ve just bought a book called ‘Get by in Portuguese'.
to speak or learn to speak a small but useful amount of a language: · While I was in Bali, I picked up a smattering of Indonesian.
Longman Language Activatorto speak to produce words with your voice: · How old are babies when they learn to speak?· Sean didn't speak the whole time we were in the car.· Don't interrupt me when I'm speaking.speak up (=speak louder): · Can you speak up? -- I can't hear you.
to produce words with your voice in order to have a conversation, tell people what you think etc: · You're not supposed to talk in the library.· Please don't all talk at the same time.
to speak very quietly, using your breath rather than your voice: · We had to whisper because Jill's mother was in the next room.· Why are you two whispering?
to speak unclearly to speak with difficulty because you cannot stop yourself repeating the first sound in some words, usually several times: · Savio was a shy man who stuttered when he was nervous.· "I d-d-don't know,'' he stammered.· Most kids who stammer eventually grow out of it.
to speak quietly and not at all clearly, so that it is difficult for people to understand you: · Don't mumble -- I can't hear what you're saying.· An old man sat on the curb, mumbling and laughing to himself.mumble about: · He looked embarrassed, and mumbled something about being sorry.
to speak unclearly, without separating your words or sounds correctly, usually because you are tired or have been drinking alcohol: · After just a couple of drinks, she starts to slur.slur your words: · When Lionel is tired he tends to slur his words.
to speak unclearly because you have difficulty pronouncing "s' sounds: · As a child she used to lisp.· "What time ith it?'' he lisped.
to speak a language · Nadia speaks six languages.speak French/Japanese/Russian etc · Is there anyone here who can speak Arabic?
to be able to speak, read, and understand some of a particular foreign language: · I know enough Italian to travel around there.· Do you know any Polish?
very good at speaking a foreign language, so that you can speak it quickly without stopping and you understand it very well: fluent in English/German/Thai etc: · Applicants should be fluent in Cantonese.fluent French/Arabic/Japanese etc: · Ann speaks fluent Italian.
able to speak two languages very well: · About 80 percent of the school's students are bilingual.
able to speak several languages very well: · Many people who work at the European Parliament are multilingual.
someone who can speak a particular language: speaker of English/Russian/Arabic etc: · Speakers of Cantonese often cannot understand speakers of Mandarin.English/Spanish/Urdu etc speaker: · The hotel has two English speakers on its staff.native speaker (=learnt a particular language as their first language as a child): · All our English teachers are native speakers.
to speak a little of a foreign language to speak enough of a language to be able to buy things, ask for help etc: · He went to Tokyo and within a few weeks knew enough Japanese to get by.get by in: · I've just bought a book called 'Get By In Portuguese'.
to be able to speak a few words of a language: · "Do you speak Korean?" "I only know a few words."know a few words of: · I used to know a few words of German but I've forgotten them all.
to be able to speak a small but useful amount of a language: · Martin is fluent in French, and also has a smattering of Swedish.
: broken English/French etc English, French etc that is spoken slowly and badly by someone who only knows a little of the language: · The two students, one Chinese, the other Greek, communicated in broken English.
the way someone speaks the way someone says the words and sounds of a language: · Gianni has problems with his grammar but his pronunciation is very good.
the way someone speaks a language, which shows which country or which part of a country they come from, and that sometimes shows which social class they come from: · Maria speaks Spanish with a Mexican accent.· I knew from his accent that he was from the South.· She spoke with a distinctly upper class accent.a strong/broad accent (=an accent that is easy to notice): · Her companion had a broad Australian accent.· His accent was so strong that I couldn't understand a word he was saying.
the way someone speaks - use this especially when this is affected by illness, drugs etc: · His speech was slurred and he was having trouble standing straight.speech impediment (=a permanent speech problem, which makes it difficult to pronounce particular sounds): · Natalie was born with a slight speech impediment.
spoken, not written spoken language is produced with the voice, not written down: · This book will help you with both spoken and written English.· Idiomatic and spoken phrases tend to differ widely throughout the country.
using spoken rather than written language -- use this especially about tests and exams: · We had a 15-minute oral exam in German.· Anglo-Saxon stories and poems were part of a largely oral culture.
spoken rather than written - use this especially about agreements, warnings, announcements etc that have never been written down and are therefore not always official: · We had a verbal agreement but no written contract.· Federal authorities gave Alascom verbal approval to begin the project.
if you find something out by word of mouth , you find it out because someone tells you, not because you have seen it advertised, read about it in a newspaper etc: · He learned about the job by word of mouth.· The tribe's history was passed on by word of mouth.
the ability to speak · Only humans are capable of speech.· The left side of the brain controls speech.
not able to speak to be unable to speak because you are too ill, weak, frightened etc: · I was so terrified, I couldn't speak.· A lump welled up in his throat and he could not speak.
to become unable to speak because of illness, or because you have been using your voice too much: · On the first night of the show, the star of the play lost his voice and couldn't perform.
unable to speak, especially permanently - use this especially in medical contexts: · A stroke left her mute and unable to use her legs.
permanently unable to speak because of a physical condition - many people now consider this word to be offensive: · According to the story, he was struck dumb (=made dumb) by the gods.· She was born deaf and dumb.
to be unable to say anything because you are very surprised, upset etc: · Rimes, who is rarely at a loss for words, was overcome with emotion as she received her award.
to speak honestly to be honest in what you say: · He wouldn't believe that I was telling the truth.· When you testify in court, you have to swear to tell the truth.tell somebody the truth: · Tell me the truth - does this dress make me look fat?
spoken say this before giving your honest opinion, especially when your opinion may sound unkind or surprising: · To be honest, I don't really like babies.· I wish I'd never met him, to be quite honest.· To be honest with you, I never expected him to get the job.· In all honesty, I've got no idea where she's living now.
spoken you say to be frank or frankly before giving your honest opinion, especially when your opinion may sound unkind or shocking : · To be frank, George isn't very good at the job.· Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn.· Well, frankly, I think this proves that there are a lot of people making laws in this country who don't really know what they're doing.
to be honest with someone, especially when they have asked you to give them the correct story, reason etc: · I promise I won't get angry. Just level with me and tell me what happened.· I'm going to level with you - some of the other managers don't think you're ready for a promotion.
to be honest and give someone all the facts about a situation, even if they are unpleasant: · I told her straight that she was wrong. · The people who report to me have to be willing to tell it like it is.
to say exactly what you think even if it offends people: · She believes in speaking her mind, which makes her very unpopular.· Larry isn't afraid to speak his mind, even in front of the boss.
to say what you think in a way that you know might offend other people: · Helmut didn't mince any words in his criticism of the department.
to say exactly what you think about someone or something, especially in a situation where other people would be more polite: · Why not call a spade a spade and say that she's incompetent, if that's what you're thinking.
to speak honestly about someone or something, especially when you are criticizing them, without thinking about their feelings: · Rollins pulled no punches in his memoir, especially when writing about the political system.
a very small amount of a substance a very small amount, usually so that there is not enough to be useful, to be important etc: · There was no ink in the bottle and very little left in the pen.very little water/money/time etc: · Fish contains very little fat.· The area has a lot of deer, but very little water and not much open space.
/scarcely any especially British almost none at all: · Don't forget to order some more paper for the copy machine - there's barely any left.hardly any water/money/time etc: · The ferns manage to grow with scarcely any sunlight.· He was fifty years old and his hair still had hardly any gray in it.
such a small amount that you can hardly see it, use it etc: almost no water/money/time: · Potatoes have almost no fat, but they're very filling.· He had a longish, plain face with a straight nose and almost no hair.almost none: · "How much glue is left?" "Almost none."almost none of something: · By the time the dentist had finished almost none of the existing tooth remained.
if there is no rain, food, oil, etc to speak of , there is almost none and not enough to have any effect: · There had been no rain to speak of for ten weeks and the garden was dying.none to speak of: · There's no fuel oil left - none to speak of, anyway.
an amount so small that it is very difficult to see: · She had very little grey hair, with just a trace near the temples.trace of: · Police found traces of blood on the killer's shoes.· Tests have revealed traces of poison in his food.
extremely obvious and impossible not to notice: unmistakable sight/sound/smell etc · The secretary of state said the measures are designed to send the regime a clear and unmistakable signal.· the unmistakable sounds of mariachi music
informal so obvious that it is impossible not to notice: · The reason she stopped smoking is perfectly obvious: she's pregnant.· a blindingly obvious mistake
if you say that a fact speaks for itself , you mean it shows that something is so obviously good or obviously bad that you do not need to tell people how good or bad it is: · The quality of our products speaks for itself.· The fact that so many parents refuse to send their children to the school speaks for itself.
formal facts, ideas etc that are self-evident are obvious and true, although some people may not accept them or know about them: · The facts in this case are self-evident and cannot be denied.· self-evident truthsit is self-evident that: · It is self-evident to most people that the government is under no obligation to finance the arts.
British informal you say it sticks or stands out a mile when you think that someone's character, feelings, or background are obvious: · I'm absolutely sure he's a retired army officer. It sticks out a mile.· You can see he's desperately jealous. It stands out a mile.
you say it sticks or stands out like a sore thumb when something looks very different from everything around it: · I'm not going to the party dressed like this - I'd stick out like a sore thumb.
you say that you only have to look at something, read something etc when you think something is so obvious that anybody will notice it: · You only have to look at Turner's later oil paintings to see what a genius he was.· You just have to look at family photos from that time to see that there was a lot of sadness and bitterness over my parents' divorce.
if you say that a fact or feeling is written all over someone's face you mean that you can see, just by looking at the expression on their face, that it is true: · You're in love with him. It's written all over your face.· When Joey opened the package and saw that it wasn't a fire engine, the disappointment was written all over his face.
you say you can't miss it when you are giving someone directions to a place that is very easy to find or notice: · Their house is on the left. It has a pink door. You can't miss it.
if something such as a solution to a problem is staring you in the face , it is very obvious - use this especially when someone does not notice or realize something even though it is very obvious: · The solution was staring me in the face.· The answer had been staring him in the face for months.
to praise someone or something to say that you admire someone or approve of something good that they have done: · Fire chiefs praised a 10-year-old girl who saved her brother's life yesterday.praise somebody for something: · Local people were praised for their calm response to the crisis.highly praised: · His column was a regular and highly praised feature of the newspaper.
to tell someone that you are pleased or impressed because they have achieved something special: · I would like to congratulate all the prizewinners.congratulate somebody on (doing) something: · The President congratulated him on winning the title.· I wrote a letter congratulating him on his appointment.congratulate somebody for (doing) something: · The committee is to be congratulated for presenting its findings in such an informative manner.
to tell someone that you like the way they look or that you are pleased with something that they have done: · She blushed when men complimented her.compliment somebody on something: · Everyone complimented me on my new hairstyle.
to say good or approving things about a person or their achievements: · Peter is always very complimentary about your work.· She was actually highly complimentary about you.
if you say good things about someone, you praise their abilities, usually in their work: · People are saying really good things about you -- that you are well-trained, are thorough, conscientious...
to praise someone or their work because you admire them: · I'm so pleased to meet you -- my wife has always spoken very highly of you.· All her former clients speak highly of her legal skills.
to praise someone publicly, especially to show respect for them and what they have achieved: · John Motum, presenting the trophy, paid tribute to the players and coaches.· Friends of the actor paid tribute to his talent and expressed shock as news of his death became public.
if someone puts in a good word for you with someone in a position of authority, they praise you to them, especially in order to help you to get a job or to avoid punishment: · The producers told me later that I got the job because Paul put in a good word for me.put in a good word for somebody with somebody: · Can you put in a good word for me with your colleagues on the council?
to represent a person or group if you represent a person or group at a meeting or in a law court or parliament, you give their opinions and make decisions for them; if you represent a country, school etc in a competition, you have been chosen to compete for that country or school: · Each class will elect two students to represent them on the School Council.· Trade Unions representing ambulance workers yesterday agreed to accept a 5% pay increase.· The new law has been criticized by groups representing disabled people.· The athletes will represent China in this year's Olympic Games.· Wilson was represented in court by a top criminal lawyer.
if you speak to people on behalf of someone, you express their ideas, opinions, or feelings for them: · On behalf of everyone here, I'd like to wish Ted a long and happy retirement.· I would like to thank you all on my mother's behalf for all your cards and good wishes.act on behalf of somebody: · The lawyer acting on behalf of Mrs Anderson said he would continue the fight to clear her name.
to represent a group of people by expressing their feelings, thoughts, or beliefs: · David Blunkett, speaking for the Labour Party, said more money should be spent on higher education.· I can only speak for my own family, not for the other families involved in this case.
to represent someone by making decisions for them, especially legal or financial decisions: · It's a good idea to have an estate agent to act for you when you are selling a house.· Lawyers acting for the defendant asked for her case to be adjourned while they examined new evidence.
if you play, run, swim etc for a school, club, or country, you represent it in a sports competition against other schools, clubs, or countries: · Playing rugby for England had always been one of his dreams.· I used to swim for my school.· Simon Short, running for Scotland, is in the lead as they come round the final bend.
to have the same beliefs, ideas, or opinions as someone else having the same attitudes and beliefs and enjoying the same things as someone else: · Being with like-minded people makes my job much more enjoyable.· She convinced a group of like-minded friends to join her trekking in the Himalayas.
to have the same opinions, attitudes, and feelings as someone else, so that you understand each other very well: · My mother and I just aren't on the same wavelength -- she just can't understand why I don't want to get married.
to have the same opinions as someone else and agree about most things, so that you can exchange ideas easily and easily understand: · Politically they are our enemies, but when it comes to trade I think we speak the same language.· When your sales, marketing, and production people are all speaking the same language, it pays real dividends.
to have the same ideas and attitudes as a group, society, country etc and be easily accepted by it: · I'm not sure you're quite in tune with the philosophy of the organization.· Sartre's novels and plays were in tune with the revolutionary spirit of post-war France.
to say clearly what your opinion is · She usually says what she thinks even if it offends her political colleagues.say what you think about/of · I'll make a few suggestions, and the rest of you can say what you think about them.
to say what you think, even though what you say might upset or offend other people: · She's very direct and believes in speaking her mind.· We thought that the process of filming might stop people from speaking their minds.
to say publicly what you think about something important, especially in a situation where it can be discussed: · Every Friday there is a meeting at the factory where the workers can air their views and discuss problems.· For a long time citizens were denied the right to air their views fully or to hold public debates.
to be allowed to say what you think about something, for example in a meeting or among a group of people: · You've had your say -- now let someone else speak.have your say about: · At a public meeting yesterday, environmentalists were finally permitted to have their say about the future of the ancient forest.
to state, giving clear reasons, that something is true, should be done etc, although other people are disagreeing with you: argue that: · She argued that taxes must be increased to pay for public services.· Film makers themselves would no doubt argue that their films do not influence people's behaviour.argue for (=argue that something should be done): · He argued for changes to the tax system so that it assisted people who undertook training.argue against (=argue that something should not be done): · Senator Harvey argued strongly against taking any form of military action.
to talk to someone to say something to someone, or have a conversation: · We sat around talking for hours.· two friends talking on the phonetalk about: · They talked about their favourite pop stars.talk to: · Danny was talking to a girl he'd just met at the bar.· It's been nice talking to you.talk with somebody American: · I left Mario talking with my mother.
to talk to someone. Speak is more formal than talk: · The brothers haven't spoken since the funeral.speak to: · There's a man from the Times on the phone who wants to speak to you.· I spoke to a few people at the party who knew him.
· Did you say something? Sorry - I wasn't listening.· No one said anything.· The older woman said something in Spanish.say something about · I can remember him saying something about his mother being ill.say something to · Pradeep could hear her saying something to the nurse.
especially British to talk in a friendly and informal way, especially about things that are not very important: · The girls were sitting on the steps, chatting.chat about: · We drank our coffee and chatted about our experiences.chat with/to: · Harry chatted to a couple of Australian tourists as we waited for the show to begin.
to talk to someone for a period of time: · Could we just sit down and have a normal conversation without shouting?have a conversation about: · We were sitting around the kitchen table having a conversation about food and restaurants.
to be having a conversation, especially one that takes all your attention: be in conversation with: · When I arrived, Diana was already in animated conversation with Mr Summers.be deep in conversation (=so that you do not notice what is happening around you): · The two men were deep in conversation as they walked up the path.
to make an effort to have a conversation with someone, just in order to seem friendly or polite: · I tried to make small talk, but Darden wasn't interested.· "Why did you tell her that?" "I was just making conversation."make polite conversation: · Sheila was sitting next to the boss's wife and felt obliged to make polite conversation.
American informal to talk in a relaxed way to someone you know well: · Mom and Aunt Jo were sitting drinking coffee and visiting.visit with: · I don't see him that often, but I like to go and visit with him when I can.
formal to have a conversation: · We met once and conversed briefly. That was the extent of our acquaintance.converse with: · The conference gave me an opportunity to meet and converse with VIPs in relaxed surroundings.
when people talk to each other using the Internet by typing in what they want to say and having this sent immediately to someone using a computer in a different place: · On-line chat is becoming an increasingly popular way for young people to make new friends.· Log on to live chat this evening and put your questions to your favourite pop stars.
when someone makes a speech a formal situation, for example at a meeting or ceremony, in which you talk to a group of people about a particular subject, usually when you have planned and practised what you are going to say : · She left early to write her speech for the next day.· In her speech, Bauer proposed major changes in the welfare system.speech about/on: · The senator's speech on farm subsidies did not attract a large audience.make/give a speech: · To start with, the governor made a short speech welcoming the visiting dignitaries.
a planned, but not very formal speech about a particular subject, for example at a meeting or on the radio: · There's an interesting series of talks by well-known writers on the radio this week.talk on/about: · You should have heard Dr Cooper's talk on his trip to India - it was fascinating.give a talk: · A researcher from our division gave a talk today about recent advances in cancer treatment.give a talk to somebody: · Alice Walker has been invited to give a talk to the literary group this evening.
to make a formal speech: · I've been invited to speak at the party's annual convention.· Who are they getting to speak at this year's graduation ceremony?speak to: · Speaking to Congress, the President appealed for cooperation in dealing with the sagging economy.speak on/about: · At the convention Ford spoke on immigration and social issues.
to speak publicly to a group of people about a particular subject: talk about: · This evening Professor Welch will be talking about Shakespeare's historical plays.talk to: · Powell talked to a group of industry leaders in Atlanta on Tuesday.
formal to make a speech to a large group of people: address a group/meeting/crowd/conference etc: · Rifkind addressed a news conference before leaving for Beijing yesterday.· Three Republican candidates addressed a group of 500 senior citizens concerning tax cuts.
the activity or art of making speeches in public: · The course I took in public speaking has really improved my self-confidence.· Executives in big companies need to have excellent public speaking skills.
to give a talk for your company about something such as a new product or business idea: · The presentation went extremely well, with almost all of the audience requesting further information about our proposals.give a presentation: · I was supposed to be giving a presentation that morning to some colleagues from the Japanese division.
when people who have argued do not talk to each other · "Have you seen Tim lately?" "No, we're not talking at the moment."· When Claire and Andy aren't speaking, she usually calls me up to complain.
if two people are not on speaking terms , their relationship has become so unfriendly that they refuse to talk to each other: · She wasn't on speaking terms with Rachel for several weeks afterwards.· By the end of the year, the two old friends were no longer on speaking terms.
British if a group of people send someone to Coventry , they refuse to talk to that person as a way of punishing them for something: · I don't know why they won't talk to me. I didn't know I'd been sent to Coventry.· When he refused to join the strike, Joe's mates sent him to Coventry for three weeks.
when one person does not talk to another person, usually to show that they are angry: · My sister tried the silent treatment on me, but I just ignored her.give somebody the silent treatment: · On the ride home, Vance's father gave him the silent treatment.
to talk to someone about a problem, plan, or serious subject · I think we need to talk.talk about · If you're having trouble at school, let's sit down and talk about it.talk to · Gerry wants to talk to his girlfriend before he makes a decision.talk with American · It's important to talk with your kids about drugs, alcohol, and sex.
if people discuss a subject or situation, they exchange ideas and opinions about it, so it is easier to make a decision or make plans: · The whole family got together to discuss funeral arrangements.· We never discuss our financial difficulties in front of the children.discuss what/how/where etc: · We need to discuss what kind of food we want at the party.discuss something with somebody: · Don't make any plans yet - I want to discuss this with Jamie first.
also speak with American to talk to someone about something serious or official: · Maybe it's time for you to speak to a lawyer.· The woman had come all the way from Denver to speak with the President.speak to about: · I intend to speak to the manager about the way I have been treated.· Have you spoken with Michael about the scheduling conflict?
to talk to someone seriously about something you have planned to discuss, especially about a problem or future plans: · Don and I had a long talk, and I think we understand each other better now.have a talk about: · I think it's time we had a talk about your future here in the company.have a talk with: · If this behavior continues, I'm going to have to have a little talk with her.· Someone should have a serious talk with Lucy about the amount of alcohol she drinks.
to talk to someone for a period of time about a serious subject: · The two leaders had a brief conversation yesterday.have a conversation with: · I've had conversations with several employers who say there are not enough qualified people to fill the jobs they have.have a conversation about: · We need to have a conversation with our lawyers about the will.
to talk to someone about all the details of a serious problem or difficult situation, in order to understand it better: talk something over: · If you're worried about your work, come and see me and we'll talk it over.talk over something: · I took him out to dinner so we could talk over the problem.talk something over with somebody: · It's often useful to talk things over with a trained counsellor.
to talk to someone quickly, and usually privately, about something serious: · His attitude got so bad his manager was forced to have a word with him.· Jim had a word with Mary, and she took the children out of the room.I'd like (to have) a word with you: · I'd like a word with you in private.
to have a private conversation in which two people both say honestly and sincerely what they feel about something personal: · Don't go in there right now - I think Dean and Carlo are having a heart-to-heart.have a heart-to-heart talk/a heart-to-heart with: · If you think your boss doesn't like you, have a heart-to-heart talk with her.
if two or more people who do the same work talk shop , they have a conversation about their work on a social occasion: · I don't want to go out to dinner with him and his lawyer friends - all they ever do is talk shop.
American informal to talk seriously and honestly about matters that need to be agreed, especially business matters: · OK, enough joking around - let's talk turkey.
WORD SETSaccented, adjectiveAfrikaans, nounAnglo-Saxon, nounArabic, nounBengali, nounbilingual, adjectiveCantonese, nounChinese, nounconversant, adjectivecreole, nounDanish, noundialect, noundictation, noundirect method, noundub, verbDutch, nounEnglish, nounEsperanto, nounFarsi, nounFlemish, nounfluent, adjectiveFrancophone, adjectiveFranglais, nounFrench, adjectiveGaelic, nounGerman, nounGermanic, adjectiveGreek, nounHebraic, adjectiveHebrew, nounHindi, nounIndo-European, adjectiveItalian, nounItalo-, prefixJapanese, nounLatin, nounLatin, adjectivelinguist, nounlinguistics, nounMandarin, nounMaori, nounmodern language, nounmonolingual, adjectivemother tongue, nounmultilingual, adjectivenative speaker, nounoral, nounpatois, nounPersian, nounPolish, adjectivePortuguese, nounRomance language, nounRomany, nounRussian, nounSanskrit, nounsecond language, nounSemitic, adjectivesign, nounsign, verbsign language, nounSinhalese, nounSpanish, nounspeak, verb-speak, suffixspeaker, nounSwedish, nountransliterate, verbTurkish, nounUrdu, nounusage, nounvernacular, nounvocabulary, nounWelsh, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY Meaning 5adverbs Broadly speaking, there are four types of champagne. ‘Well, what can I do for you?’ he asked coldly. Comparatively speaking, this part of the coast is still unspoiled. They have a taste – figuratively speaking – for excitement. In France he could write freely, without fear of arrest. We went outside so that we could talk freely without being overheard. I’ve always thought very highly of Michael. I’d like to go to Greece, but I don’t speak the lingo. ‘Through here,’ he managed to say, almost out of breath. a fear of public speaking a quietly-spoken man (=one who always speaks quietly)
(=say good things about them)· He always spoke very highly of Marge.
(=say bad things about them)· She never speaks ill of him.
· Speaking personally, yes, this is a worry.
· Strictly speaking, the tomato is a fruit.
· Generally speaking, the results have been good.
· These innovations are, roughly speaking, what this book is about.
· Relatively speaking, property there is still cheap.
phrases· Speaking as a medical man, I'd advise you to take some exercise every day.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES· She spoke with an accent that I couldn’t understand.
Broadly speaking, there are four types of champagne. ‘Well, what can I do for you?’ he asked coldly. Comparatively speaking, this part of the coast is still unspoiled. (=one in which you give a speech)· I've been turning down speaking engagements to concentrate on writing my memoirs.
· The miners spoke from experience about the dangers of their work.
(=perform at a festival)· Sting is scheduled to appear at a festival in Amsterdam next month.
They have a taste – figuratively speaking – for excitement. In France he could write freely, without fear of arrest. We went outside so that we could talk freely without being overheard. I’ve always thought very highly of Michael.· Can you speak a foreign language?
(=for advice)· Have you spoken to a lawyer?
I’d like to go to Greece, but I don’t speak the lingo. ‘Through here,’ he managed to say, almost out of breath. (=one in which you have some words to say)· I had hoped to be given a speaking part.
· We talk on the phone every day.· We spoke earlier on the phone, if you remember.
· He is reluctant to talk to the press.
British English (=really) It isn’t, properly speaking, a real science.
It isn’t, properly speaking, a real science. a fear of public speaking a quietly-spoken man (=one who always speaks quietly) (=used when saying something without giving exact details or information) Roughly speaking, I’d say we need about $500.
Roughly speaking, I’d say we need about $500.· He always spoke the truth, whether it was popular or not.
· They spoke in quick, urgent whispers.
· She said the words ‘my husband’ in a firm voice.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· Black leaders will refrain from hammering at the issue out of an uneasiness at speaking about intergenerational oppression.· Another early romance, which Kylie has often spoken about, was with the infamous Grant.· We do not need to speak about who has won and who has lost.· Yes, this now celebrated affair, which I've not spoken about before, did actually happen.· I spoke about my frustrations, about not being able to read socialist and feminist books and magazines.· The lovely place in the mountains that you spoke about?
· After a momentary silence, the President spoke again.· And just as I turned she spoke again.· When Rose had lifted the cup and sipped, Miss Poole spoke again ill Swaluli.· How can we ever speak again?· Although he and I have seen each other at public events, we have never to this day spoken again.· He didn't speak again and shortly afterwards became unconscious.· Now, Harper Lee speaks again, but again only briefly.
· To summarize, broadly speaking there are three main categories of such patients. 1.· Moral freedom is, broadly speaking, the possession of the ability t choose either good or evil.· They mean, broadly speaking, that the talk is less formal.· The Far East is broadly speaking a tropical and sub-tropical world.· Each frame of reference is constructed largely through cultural influences. Broadly speaking there are four possible approaches: Isolation.· So, any systematic extension of Saussurean concepts may, broadly speaking, be regarded as structuralist.· The same, broadly speaking, can be done with plants.
· Why do people not just speak directly and say what they mean?· This smallest of lawyers speaks directly, quickly.· Later she spoke directly to Rachel.· Telephone a few days later and ask to speak directly with the director, using the techniques described above.· Although they never spoke directly of Lachlan, each knew the other's mind; though not as well as she believed.· Dole spoke directly about his age, saying 73 years of life are not a liability.· There are a variety of ways of defeating a proposal other than directly speaking against it.· This is, however, a book that speaks directly to the home cook looking for new challenges and tastes.
· Thus the importance of coinage for our understanding of the past diminishes, generally speaking, the more up to date we come.· People living in a family need to know, generally speaking, who will do what and when it will happen.· He spoke generally of the problems of rural areas and less-favoured areas.· Progress would enhance the wealth of those who, generally speaking, were already rich but not that of the masses.· If you use straw as bedding for farm animals, generally speaking you improve the welfare of those animals.· But generally speaking, champions are built from something more.· But generally speaking, the availability of landfill space is more a matter of politics than geology.· By Lyle Jackson Quality check for the kitchen GENERALLY speaking, you get what you pay for in a kitchen.
· But there are other difficulties on Golding's island which are never spoken of on Ballantyne's like the need for food.· He never spoke to either of the Harrisons again, nor they to him.· He was extremely rude to a lot of people, some of whom vowed they would never speak to him again.· A., all strangers to me, beloved by her but oddly never spoken of.· Dot wears dotted outfits and never speaks.· These were words never spoken before by any of the House of Atreus.· Tom never spoke much to Gary.· Sometimes he was very temperamental-really fiery then again he would stand at the side of the house for hours and never speak.
· The latter speak out on behalf of the poor, women, our fellow creatures and the environment.· Tom Cruise was first to speak out, his voice appearing over the first scenes of the crash site.· Reporters and producers have a public duty to speak out if their vision of truth is suppressed by government appointees.· Management still made the decisions, but it gave employees an opportunity to speak out that they never had before.· Should I then speak out and invite martyrdom?· It was against this first flush of a comprehensive modern worldview that the Romantics spoke out.· Then I think he ought to be in politics, speaking out, or be a teacher or writer.
· Although normally quietly spoken, he would be most courageous in facing hostility in discussion, even from large groups of people.· Sadlowski spoke quietly, moderately, as if he was the statesman and not McBride.· Miklós, in his middle fifties, is a tall, quietly spoken but imposing figure, very self-possessed.· She was speaking quietly, and there were screams in the background, along with the unmistakable sound of children crying.· They spoke quietly, deliberated over the menu and drank their wine in sips, like dipping birds.· Father and Edna spoke quietly about the park, the tourists, and mentioned some veterans' gatherings and the World Series.· The man spoke quietly to the horse, soothing it.· Horowitz had spoken quietly, the words spaced out.
· He is shy and softly spoken but supremely confident in his ability.· Once the driver spoke softly with several others, but we could not make out the words.· Liu Xiuqin smiled slightly and appeared to be speaking softly to herself.· Speak softly and carry a big teddy bear.· Even so, Nicholas spoke softly and Mark had to lean forward to hear.· When he brought her breakfast, he lingered and spoke softly to her through the bars.· He speaks softly and very reflectively, with few flights of passion.· She ate soft food, spoke softly, with a slight huskiness, a sexiness.
· Work on the floor if necessary. Strictly speaking all fabrics should be cut on the straight grain.· It is, strictly speaking, conferred by the Constitution.· They too join in, even though, strictly speaking, they weren't invited.· In the churchyard tonight well, tomorrow morning strictly speaking.· The Demoiselles is not, strictly speaking, a Cubist painting.
· Some she knew to speak to, others she didn't know at all.· The girl she spoke to was as nice as pie.· The policeman he spoke to stood with his hands on his hips, had grey hair showing beneath his peaked cap.· Casual staff we spoke to said they were aware of the allegations, but considered them unfounded.· All the cafe owners we spoke to insisted they've never seen cars parked on the carriageway.· Just speak when spoken to, that's all.· The girls I spoke to rarely discussed their problems at school with their parents.· Not one of the many East Berliners I spoke to at several crossing points said they meant to stay in the West.
NOUN· She speaks with a London accent, though her father knows the Royal Family.· His haughty manner and refined speech had gone, and he spoke with the same accent as the sergeant.· Margy comes from Newcastle and speaks with a Geordie accent.· He spoke with an upper-class accent, and Margaret realized his face was vaguely familiar.· He was wearing a green suit and spoke with a local accent.· Dialects are spoken with pronounced regional accents.· The victim was forced to hand over his watch to the youths, who spoke with southern accents.· She continued: They didn't speak with Oxford accents.
· Your body language will speak volumes about your happy state. 4 Inhibition decreases.· This is a further indication of the influence of bookish language on the spoken style.· First, they help to unlock the immanent structure of the legal language spoken in a specific arena.· In this case you may want to analyse the language as well as learn to speak it.· Soussou, Manika and six other local languages widely spoken.· I knew he would never take on students in a language he did not speak.· When I speak, language speaks.
· He spoke his mind and he rarely smiled, and he was getting, at best, a C from me.· There are more ways of showing disapproval than by speaking your mind.· What does one say in a culture that hesitates to speak its mind?· The company insists Vinik spoke his mind at the time comments were made and he simply changed his opinions.· They reflect a tough tradition among rural women of shouldering a heavy economic burden and speaking their mind.· She also intends to speak her mind.
· He turned back towards me, opened his mouth to speak and was gone.· It was as if eyes sent messages that the mouth dared not speak lest the words put lives in danger.· He opens his mouth to speak.· He opened his mouth to speak, but saw the corpse stretched before him and shut it.· That was what his eyes asked, while his mouth spoke hollow questions.· And when she opens her mouth to speak, the words come out in the honeyed tones of the trained singer.· He opened his mouth to speak but Carrie had turned.· His cigar was stuck in the corner of his mouth as he spoke.
· She spoke with her tongue and lips, and not her face.· They prance about with their eyes closed, speaking in tongues.· If you spoke in tongues you were baptized by the Spirit, if you did not you were not.· I could have levitated, spoken in tongues and changed the Perrier into Dom Perignon.· The first time I ever heard anyone speak in tongues I found it strange, fascinating, and a little frightening.
· She begged, Who are you, sufferer, that speak the truth To one who suffers?· Sylvie had raved, raved with that undertow of intensity which always made her seem to be speaking the truth.· Chen knew I spoke the truth.· I speak the truth, yes?· It was Arab feminists who insisted on speaking aloud the oldest truths, bringing upon themselves the most ferocious repressions.· He spoke the truth but not until it had been subjected to the most stringent test - himself!· Every lawyer who has ever defended a criminal case knows he speaks the truth.
· Dimly she heard Luke's terse voice as he spoke.· Their voices rang instead of speaking.· His voice thickened as he spoke, his eyes shone.· She could hear a lot of noise in the background before a voice spoke.· A mechanical voice spoke the number back to him and announced that it had been disconnected.· Her own disembodied voice, speaking.· The official raised his voice and began to speak even more rapidly, pointing to the girl.
· He was glowing like an altar-candle as he spoke, and the words presented themselves like gifts.· After retrieving the chalice she sat at a table in her living room and began to speak the words.· There are no spoken words, though.· Seized for a moment by the power of prophesy, Caledor spoke words that would ring down the ages.· Other symptoms of dyslexia can include difficulty in writing, calculating or even understanding the spoken word.· I knew she knew me, though she never spoke word, never, night-long.· He showed a little smile, as if only the spoken word might perk his interest.
VERB· Fenella began to speak at exactly the same moment that Pumlumon began to intone the Draoicht Suan.· At first, Jenny could not speak. when she began to speak again, her boisterous laughter was gone.· He lay down once more upon the bench and, his lungs filled with a crush of flower essence, began to speak.· He was painfully deliberate as he began to speak.· The large breathing thing out there began to speak.· The man began to speak and it was Silver's voice.· The Prime Minister belched into a lace handkerchief and began speaking over the slow chanting of his name.
· Then, after a pause, I heard him speak again-but he was no longer addressing his words to me.· Some of those present say they too have heard this story and speak of what they know.· I was ready for such reactions, because I had heard them whenever I spoke on the topic.· She had never heard Louise speak in this tone of voice before.· Here he speaks to others and clearly intends them to hear.· His brown eyes seemed to be saying things again, things she wanted to hear him speak.· I went about as if in a trance, speaking to no one, not hearing when anyone spoke to me.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► be not speaking/not be on speaking terms► speak for somebody/somethingPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► speak of the devil► speak the Queen’s English► (there’s) many a true word spoken in jest
- But the juxtaposition of the two buildings speaks volumes about the rapid disappearance of regional, vernacular, even weirdo architecture.
- His grin spoke volumes to the back row.
- Jack's tone spoke volumes, but Polly was trying not to listen.
- Often, though, he speaks volumes when he chooses not to speak at all.
- Other than the face, hands are the most visible part of one's body and invariably speak volumes about a person.
- The 8 successful trips so far speak volumes.
- The perpetual grin and I-just-won-the-lottery look on his face spoke volumes: The guy was ecstatic.
- Your body language will speak volumes about your happy state. 4 Inhibition decreases.
- It became extraordinarily difficult for them to speak with one voice on critical issues.
- Salomon Brothers was speaking with one voice, and it was loud.
- This has already raised fears among foreign governments that the administration is not speaking with one voice on vital international issues.
- Where Clinton speaks with one voice, they speak with several, weakening their philosophical case.
- Politically they are our enemies, but when it comes to trade I think we speak the same language.
- When your sales, marketing, and production people are all speaking the same language, it pays real dividends.
- His actions now speak the same language.
- If we're to communicate, you and I, we have to be sure we're speaking the same language.
- Some one from industry might be seen by employers as speaking the same language as they do themselves. 5.
- They spoke the same language of progress, and shared a cautious trust that they knew could be relied on.
- They seemed to speak the same language.
- Very likely he expects a bambina - even Constanza found they didn't speak the same language any more.
- We speak the same language, share similar interests.
- Wagner spoke out of turn when he said the election would be delayed.
- Captain Steve Waugh had sharp words with Buchanan, telling him he had spoken out of turn.
- "We're not interested in going to the game." "Hey, speak for yourself."
- Facts should normally be allowed to speak for themselves: to spell out a conclusion may spell danger.
- In this oracular role, though, she does not speak for herself.
- Let these facts speak for themselves: By the time Barbie was invented, I was too old for dolls.
- Nevertheless, this is an ultimately inspiring study of prisoners speaking for themselves.
- That rather speaks for itself. 6.
- The alacrity with which northerners enlisted for military service whenever warfare flared up on the Border speaks for itself.
- The arrangement seemed to speak for itself: Alice, the true love.
- Yet the belief that a videotape somehow speaks for itself persisted.
- But all of the money is spoken for.
- Contest ends when all tickets are spoken for.
- Most of your capital is spoken for, and the creditors are closing in.
- Though they were spoken for my benefit, I could not be assumed to share the same norms.
- When the words were spoken for the third time, however, the divorce was irrevocable.
- He's a good coach - his success speaks for itself.
- Again, we begin by letting the managers speak for themselves.
- But the history of the family speaks for itself.
- I think the above account speaks for itself.
- Kahn believed that his work spoke for itself.
- The account mainly speaks for itself.
- The arrangement seemed to speak for itself: Alice, the true love.
- They simply put it out and let the music speak for itself.
- Yet the belief that a videotape somehow speaks for itself persisted.
- His supple skin had no lines to speak of; he preserved it with various expensive creams and face masks.
- In all, the unit has a staff of 18 and no budget to speak of.
- It had no bones to speak of.
- No ad campaign, no sales to speak of, no one showed up for readings.
- No kin to speak of, except for that rowdy bunch in Ireland, of course.
- No wind-chill to speak of, to polish us off.
- There are no restaurants or motels, no industry to speak of, only deer and wild turkey roaming the surrounding forest.
- There were no Republicans to speak of then.
- You'll have to learn to speak up for yourself.
- Did they make fun of him for speaking up for the underdog in school?
- Ella Anderson speaks up for tulips.
- Erlend, six years younger, needed some one to speak up for him, sometimes.
- He was to celebrate the inauguration in Florida speaking up for the black voters who feel disenfranchised.
- If those with inside knowledge of the facts didn't speak up for Britain, who the hell would?
- My captor found no reply to this, but luckily a Monster Fish Maiden spoke up for him.
- She identified with them, spoke up for them, tackled situations others had avoided.
- Who actually speaks up for the vulnerable older person?
- We have to pull down the barriers, so to speak, of poverty.
- Being in charge of a lethal weapon, so to speak.
- Denver had come around, so to speak.
- He could get caught up in the story, so to speak, and little by little begin to forget himself.
- Other than that, the world was my artistic oyster, so to speak.
- The babies, so to speak, are helplessly powerful.
- The whole of life, so to speak, is involved in the pursuit of the good life.
- These constitute, so to speak, the raw materials for effective education perse.
- To get back to business, so to speak.
- Larry isn't afraid to speak his mind, even in front of the boss.
- Sam has never been shy about speaking his mind.
- She's very direct and believes in speaking her mind.
- She believes in speaking her mind, which makes her very unpopular.
- We thought that the process of filming might stop people from speaking their minds.
- Dean Shearer was a man of compassion, humility and integrity who was never afraid to speak his mind.
- Even if they disagree sometimes with what he says, they like a candidate who speaks his mind.
- He dawdled, afraid to say no or resist her or speak his mind.
- Nizan generally spoke his mind and refused to pull his punches.
- The company insists Vinik spoke his mind at the time comments were made and he simply changed his opinions.
- What does one say in a culture that hesitates to speak its mind?
- With Freemantle Leapor could easily speak her mind; to have the same confidence with new readers would take time.
- As ever, though, actions speak louder than words.
- In any event the user's opinion of a product is reflected in the standard achieved so actions speak louder than words.
- In the kitchen, actions speak louder than words.
- On this playing field, actions speak louder than words.
- And after 43 years in the industry the managing director of Regional Railways speaks with authority.
- He has spoken with authority on other transport-related Bills.
- He spoke with authority and she trusted him.
- Although they never spoke directly of Lachlan, each knew the other's mind; though not as well as she believed.
- Dole spoke directly about his age, saying 73 years of life are not a liability.
- Even when asked directly, as they were by Carol Hong, employees misrepresented the costs, her lawsuit alleges.
- In fact, a Harvard spokesman confirmed her admittance only when asked directly.
- Later she spoke directly to Rachel.
- They seem to speak directly out of the dark into your ears or mine alone.
- This is, however, a book that speaks directly to the home cook looking for new challenges and tastes.
- When asked directly what were their visions of Howdendyke's future, interviewees made fairly consistent replies.
- She obviously knows what she's doing - the facts speak for themselves.
- Autoseeker speaks to the thief - the facts speak for themselves.
- Concerning investigation into the conditions endured by animals in laboratories, the facts speak for themselves.
- In such a case the purchaser may plead res ipsa loquitur - the facts speak for themselves.
- Mark answered in the traditional matter-of-fact manner, parading all the relevant factors and letting the facts speak for themselves.
- Generally speaking, older people are less able to speak up for their rights.
- But generally speaking, champions are built from something more.
- But, generally speaking, the economy had by 1937 recovered to the level reached before the Depression started in 1929.
- By s.4 land generally speaking is not property which can be stolen.
- If you use straw as bedding for farm animals, generally speaking you improve the welfare of those animals.
- People living in a family need to know, generally speaking, who will do what and when it will happen.
- Progress would enhance the wealth of those who, generally speaking, were already rich but not that of the masses.
- They are, generally speaking, the most expensive type.
- Well the gay population usually tips much better, generally speaking.
- The candidates clearly did not want to speak ill of each other during the campaign.
- But she never speaks ill of anyone.
- He spoke ill of me to his friends.
- I know speaking ill of the dead and all that.
- Surely it is better to speak ill of the dead than of the living.
- The Newleys' acquaintances spoke well of the dead in order to think ill of the living.
- You wish to think all the world respectable, and are hurt if I speak ill of any body.
- The illustrations make dinosaurs come alive, in a manner of speaking.
- And he is faithful to her in a manner of speaking.
- For all men are eggs, in a manner of speaking.
- The stolen flowers had been, in a manner of speaking, restored.
- Well, in a manner of speaking.
- Relatively speaking, land prices in Ventura are still pretty cheap.
- And if everything is expanding, at the same time, then relatively speaking it must remain the same size.
- Children can handle pressure in areas where they are, relatively speaking, strong.
- She is described by the Argive elders as speaking in riddles because they fail to understand her predictions.
- She talked in comparisons, she spoke in riddles.
- She wished people wouldn't talk in riddles.
- When Tweedledum and Tweedledee talk to Alice they are almost talking in riddles.
- Strictly speaking, spiders are not insects, although most people think they are.
- However, strictly speaking it is not a number but a physical quantity with units of mol-1.
- It is, strictly speaking, conferred by the Constitution.
- Neither is an inflection of the other, so strictly speaking their differing linguistic origin should dictate separate indices.
- Neither the input nor the output of a Turing machine can, strictly speaking, be an infinite decimal.
- Not strictly speaking, because the wedding was in a register office, and you don't have a best man.
- That, he said, was, strictly speaking, inconceivable.
- This was not strictly speaking true.
- Where there is such an approved standard it is, strictly speaking not mandatory for the manufacturer to comply with it.
- The governor has been known to speak with forked tongue.
- Hearing people in the church speak in tongues fascinated me.
- And, for the first time in eighteen years, she spoke in tongues.
- He seems transformed, as though he is speaking in tongues.
- If you spoke in tongues you were baptized by the Spirit, if you did not you were not.
- Nor did he invent that particularly intense expression of yearning called speaking in tongues.
- Teenage girls returned from that camp with stories of speaking in tongues and exorcising evil spirits.
- The first time I ever heard anyone speak in tongues I found it strange, fascinating, and a little frightening.
- They prance about with their eyes closed, speaking in tongues.
- When he is speaking in tongues, the pattern is always the same.
- I hope I'm not speaking out of turn, but I don't think this is the best way to proceed.
- Also this week: Ben and Mandy talk out of turn while Luke is listening.
- Captain Steve Waugh had sharp words with Buchanan, telling him he had spoken out of turn.
- He enjoys talking out of turn.
- It became extraordinarily difficult for them to speak with one voice on critical issues.
- Salomon Brothers was speaking with one voice, and it was loud.
- This has already raised fears among foreign governments that the administration is not speaking with one voice on vital international issues.
- Where Clinton speaks with one voice, they speak with several, weakening their philosophical case.
- Uncle Brian always thought well of you.
- Ensure they speak well of us rather than denigrate us to their friends.
- If they did this particularly well, analysts were thought well of by their bosses.
- Instead, we were awkward and seething-which didn't encourage scouts, barbers or anyone to speak well of us.
- It was important to him to know this, because he wanted her to think well of him.
- She speaks well of you, and I am uneasy.
- The Newleys' acquaintances spoke well of the dead in order to think ill of the living.
- Why was it so important to her whether I thought well of her or not?
WORD FAMILYadjectiveunspeakablespeechlessoutspokenspoken ≠ unspokennounspeakerspeechverbspeakadverbunspeakably
1in conversation [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to talk to someone about somethingspeak to somebody I spoke to her last Wednesday. ‘Hello, may I speak to Jim Smith?’ ‘Yes, speaking (=used on the telephone)’. I know her by sight, but not to speak to (=not well enough to talk to her).speak to somebody about something I haven’t spoken to Steve about all this.speak with somebody especially American English They did not want to speak with reporters.speak of something It was the first time she had ever spoken of marriage.► see thesaurus at talk2say words [intransitive] to use your voice to produce words: I was so shocked I couldn’t speak. He spoke very softly (=quietly).3language [transitive not in progressive] to be able to talk in a particular language: Do you speak English? I don’t speak a word of French (=do not speak any French at all).can/can’t speak something Several children in the class can’t speak English.French-speaking/Italian-speaking etc a German-speaking secretary4formal speech [intransitive] to make a formal speechspeak at Jones spoke at the teachers’ annual convention.speak to She asked me to speak to her students about my work in marketing.speak in favour of/against Only one MP spoke against the bill. → speaker(1)5express ideas/opinions [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to say something that expresses your ideas or opinionsspeak as a parent/teacher/democrat etc He emphasized that he was speaking as a private citizen, not in any official capacity.speak well/highly/ill of somebody (=say good or bad things about someone) Her co-workers spoke highly of her. It’s wrong to speak ill of the dead.strictly/generally/roughly speaking (=used when expressing an idea that you think is exactly true, generally true etc) Strictly speaking, it’s my money, not yours. I earned it.6so to speak used when you are saying something in words that do not have their usual meaning: We have to pull down the barriers, so to speak, of poverty.7 speak your mind to tell people exactly what you think, even if it offends them: He was a tough politician who wasn’t afraid to speak his mind.8be not speaking/not be on speaking terms if two people are not speaking, they do not talk to each other, usually because they have argued: He was not on speaking terms with his brother or sisters.9speak volumes (about/for something) if something speaks volumes, it clearly shows the nature of something or the feelings of a person: What you wear speaks volumes about you.10speak with one voice if a group of people speak with one voice, they all express the same opinion: On this issue, the 12 organizations spoke with one voice.11speak the same language if two people or groups speak the same language, they have similar attitudes and opinions12speak out of turn to say something when you do not have the right or authority to say it → actions speak louder than words at action1(13), → the facts speak for themselves at fact(8), → in a manner of speaking at manner(5)COLLOCATIONS– Meaning 5adverbsspeak well/highly of somebody (=say good things about them)· He always spoke very highly of Marge.speak ill of somebody (=say bad things about them)· She never speaks ill of him.speaking personally· Speaking personally, yes, this is a worry.strictly speaking· Strictly speaking, the tomato is a fruit.generally speaking· Generally speaking, the results have been good.roughly/broadly speaking· These innovations are, roughly speaking, what this book is about.relatively speaking· Relatively speaking, property there is still cheap.phrasesspeak as a parent/teacher etc· Speaking as a medical man, I'd advise you to take some exercise every day.THESAURUSto speak a languagespeak to be able to talk in a foreign language: · Do you speak German?· I learnt Spanish for years, but I still don’t speak it very well.be fluent in something to be very good at speaking and understanding a foreign language, so that you can speak it almost as well as your own language: · Applicants should be fluent in Cantonese.get by to speak enough of a language to be able to buy things, ask for help etc: · ‘What’s your Italian like?’ ‘Not great, but I can get by.’· I’ve just bought a book called ‘Get by in Portuguese'.have/pick up a smattering of something to speak or learn to speak a small but useful amount of a language: · While I was in Bali, I picked up a smattering of Indonesian.speak for phrasal verb1 speak for somebody/something to express the feelings, thoughts, or beliefs of a person or group of people: Dan, speaking for the students, started the meeting.2speak for yourself spoken used to tell someone that you do not have the same opinion as they do, or that something that is true for them is not true for you: ‘We don’t want to go.’ ‘Speak for yourself!’3be spoken for if something or someone is spoken for, they have already been promised to someone else: They’re all either married or spoken for.4speak for itself/themselves to show something very clearly: The results speak for themselves.speak of something phrasal verb1 literary to show clearly that something happened or exists: Her skin spoke of warm summer days spent in the sun.2no ... to speak of (also none/nothing to speak of) very little of something or a very small thing: There’s been no rain to speak of for several months. The house had no garden to speak of.speak out phrasal verb to publicly speak in protest about something, especially when protesting could be dangerousspeak out about/against Five students who had spoken out against the regime were arrested.speak to somebody/something phrasal verb1to talk to someone who has done something wrong and tell them not to do it again: Joe was late again today. You’ll have to speak to him.2if something such as a poem, painting, or piece of music speaks to you, you like it because it expresses a particular meaning, quality, or feeling to you: Modern art just doesn’t speak to me.3to show that a situation exists or something is true: This situation speaks to a need for a better tax system. The party's success speaks to the fact that many people in the US want change.4to talk or write about something, especially something that needs discussing or dealing with: I am qualified to speak to this issue.speak up phrasal verb1used to ask someone to speak louder: Could you speak up, please?2to say something, especially to express your opinion: There was a brief silence, then Gerald spoke up.3speak up for somebody to speak in support of someone: He is willing to speak up for the rights of women.