broad-spokenadj.
/ˌbrɔːdˈspəʊk(ə)n/, U.S. /ˌbrɔdˈspoʊkən/, /ˌbrɑdˈspoʊkən/, /ˈbrɔdˌspoʊkən/, /ˈbrɑdˌspoʊkən/ Originally: given to plain speaking; plain-spoken, direct. Now usually: speaking with a very noticeable or strong regional accent.The two senses are often both present through the implication that the speech of ordinary working people is characteristically straightforward or blunt.
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1647 J. Trapp Mellificium Theol. in Comm. Epist. & Rev. 651 Harden thy fore-head..and say boldly, that thou deservest the Prætorship better then Cato. Ambition, I confesse, is not ordinarily so broad spoken, but goes disguised, under a vail of modesty.
1712 Boston News-let. 8 Sept. 2/2 A North British young Man Servant,..aged about 20 years, broad Spoken, short and well set.
1861 M. E. C. Walcott East Coast Eng. 158 The muscular wide-shouldered massive build of the broad-spoken Dalesmen.
1931 Times 28 Aug. 6/2 He is the purest type of a broad spoken Lancashire working man.
2005 Herald (Glasgow) (Nexis) 16 Apr. 16 The broad-spoken Gordon [Brown] may just have created such an impression of economic competence as to deceive the undiscerning.
2013 Daily Record (Glasgow) (Nexis) 3 Oct. (Features section) 12 Charles Gordon was broad-spoken; whether addressing a Prefect of Rome or a pauper in the street, he favoured the Doric tongue, which endeared him to his parishioners.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2022).
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adj.1647