-speak


-speak

suff. Language characteristic of: doctorspeak; cop-speak.
[From (new)speak.]

-speak

suffix forming nouns informal the language or jargon of a specific group, organization, or field: computer-speak. [C20: formed on the pattern of newspeak]

speak

(spik)

v. spoke, spo•ken, speak•ing. v.i. 1. to utter words or articulate sounds with the ordinary voice; talk. 2. to communicate vocally; mention. 3. to converse. 4. to deliver an address, discourse, etc. 5. to make a statement in written or printed words. 6. to communicate, signify, or disclose by any means. 7. to emit a sound, as a musical instrument; make a noise or report. v.t. 8. to utter vocally and articulately. 9. to express or make known with the voice. 10. to declare in writing or printing, or by any means of communication. 11. to use, or be able to use, in oral utterance: to speak French. 12. to communicate with (a passing vessel) at sea, as by voice or signal. 13. Archaic. to speak to or with. 14. speak for, to speak in behalf of. 15. speak out, to express one's opinion openly and unreservedly. 16. speak up, a. to speak loud enough to be heard. b. to speak out. Idioms: 1. so to speak, figuratively speaking: We lost our shirt, so to speak. 2. speak well for, to be an indication or reflection of (something commendable). 3. to speak of, worth mentioning: no debts to speak of. [before 900; Middle English speken, Old English specan, variant of sprecan, c. Old Frisian spreka, Old Saxon sprekan, Old High German sprehhan] speak′a•ble, adj.

-speak

a combining form extracted from newspeak, used in the formation of compound words that denote the vocabulary of a field, person, era, etc.: adspeak; artspeak; futurespeak.
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