speak

verb

UK /spiːk/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	speak
he/she/it	speaks
present participle	speaking
past tense	spoke
past participle	spoken

1
intransitive to talk to someone about something
speak to:
I phoned your office and spoke to your assistant.
speak with:
Let me speak with Jennifer and see what she thinks.
speak of:
People spoke of their fear as the flood waters rose.
speak about:
He spoke movingly about his son’s struggle with cancer.
Synonyms and related words
General words meaning to say something
say
talk
speak
1. 1a
  to talk about something in a particular way
  Let me speak frankly.
  Synonyms and related words
  General words meaning to say something
  say
  talk
  speak
2
intransitive to use your voice to talk
There was a long pause before she spoke again.
He spoke so softly it was difficult to hear what he said.
Synonyms and related words
General words meaning to say something
say
talk
speak
3
transitive to be able to talk in a particular language
Do you speak Chinese?
He speaks three languages.
Synonyms and related words
Speaking or translating other languages
bilingual
bilingualism
code switching
4
intransitive to give a formal speech
speak at:
The local MP will be speaking at our graduation ceremony.
speak to:
Petersen spoke to an audience of 2,000 at the conference.
Synonyms and related words
To perform a ceremony or to give a speech
address
be upstanding
chair
5
intransitive/transitive to express your ideas, thoughts, or opinions about something
speak against/in favour of:
Only a small group of people dared to speak against the war.
speak well/highly of someone (=say good things about someone):
Yvonne has spoken so highly of you.
speak badly/ill of someone (=say bad things about someone):
You shouldn’t speak ill of your father.
Synonyms and related words
General words meaning to say something
say
talk
speak
6
intransitive to speak to someone on the telephone
‘Who’s speaking?’ ‘This is Mark Richards speaking.’
Synonyms and related words
Using a telephone
answer
busy
call
1. 6a
  used for telling someone who has called you on the telephone and has asked to talk to you that they are speaking to the right person
  ‘Is Janey there, please?’ ‘Speaking.’
  Synonyms and related words
  Using a telephone
  answer
  busy
  call
7
speak human
(of a politician) to be able to communicate and connect with ordinary people
His clarity of intellect was reflected in a clarity of utterance which gave him a special connection with the public, who prized him for his ability to speak human.
Submitted from:
United Kingdom on 02/06/2015
Open Dictionary - June2015

phrases

broadly/generally speaking

no...to speak of

not on speaking terms

so to speak

speak for itself

speak for yourself

speaking as someone

speaking of

speak your mind

speak volumes

speak well for/of

phrasal verbs

speak for

speak of

speak out

speak to

speak up

speak up for

speak ​‌‌‌

speak human

speak ​‌‌‌

speak human

speak

speak