Logo
Search icon

speak

/spiːk/

noun

Meaning

  • A low class bar, a speakeasy.

noun

Meaning

  • Language, jargon, or terminology used uniquely in a particular environment or group.

    "Corporate speak; IT speak."

  • Speech, conversation.

verb

Meaning

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

    "I was so surprised I couldn't speak."

  • To have a conversation.

    "It's been ages since we've spoken."

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

    "Actions speak louder than words."

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

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

  • To be able to communicate in a language.

    "He speaks Mandarin fluently."

  • To utter.

    "I was so surprised that I couldn't speak a word."

  • To communicate (some fact or feeling); to bespeak, to indicate.

  • (sometimes humorous) To understand (as though it were a language).

    "So you can program in C. But do you speak C++?"

  • To produce a sound; to sound.

  • Of a bird, to be able to vocally reproduce words or phrases from a human language.

  • To address; to accost; to speak to.

Synonyms

articulate,
talk,
verbalize