speak : Idioms & Phrases

• a slight acquaintance with a person, or one which merely permits the exchange of salutations and remarks on indifferent subjects.

Webster 1913

• adjective of or relating to people who speak Bantu
  
  • the Bantu-speaking people of Africa
• adjective satellite able to communicate in Bantu
  

WordNet

• adverb without regard to specific details or exceptions
  generally; loosely; broadly.
  
  • he interprets the law broadly

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• adjective satellite able to communicate in English
  

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• speaking ill of others; calumny; censoriousness.

Webster 1913

Faair"-spo`ken adjective

Definitions

1. Using fair speech, or uttered with fairness; bland; civil; courteous; plausible. "A marvelous fair-spoken man." Hooker.

Webster 1913

• adjective satellite able to communicate in a Finno-Ugric language
  

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• adjective satellite able to communicate in Flemish
  

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• adjective satellite using foul or obscene language
  foul-mouthed.
  
  • noisy foul-mouthed women all shouting at once

WordNet

Foul"-spo`ken adjective

Definitions

1. Using profane, scurrilous, slanderous, or obscene language. Shak.

Webster 1913

• adjective satellite characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion
  frank; straight-from-the-shoulder; outspoken; point-blank; candid; plainspoken; blunt; forthright.
  
  • blunt talking and straight shooting
  • a blunt New England farmer
  • I gave them my candid opinion
  • forthright criticism
  • a forthright approach to the problem
  • tell me what you think--and you may just as well be frank
  • it is possible to be outspoken without being rude
  • plainspoken and to the point
  • a point-blank accusation

WordNet

Free"-spo`ken adjective

Definitions

1. Accustomed to speak without reserve. Bacon. -- Free"-spo`ken-ness, n.

Webster 1913

• adjective satellite able to communicate in French
  

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• adjective satellite able to communicate in Gaelic
  

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• adjective satellite able to communicate in German
  

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Home"-speak`ing noun

Definitions

1. Direct, forcible, and effective speaking. Milton.

Webster 1913

• noun a system of air transportation in which local airports offer air transportation to a central airport where long-distance flights are available
  hub-and-spoke.
  

WordNet

• noun a system of air transportation in which local airports offer air transportation to a central airport where long-distance flights are available
  hub-and-spoke.
  

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• adjective satellite able to communicate in Icelandic
  

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• adjective satellite able to communicate in Italian
  

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• adjective satellite able to communicate in Japanese
  

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• adjective satellite able to communicate in Kannada
  

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• adjective satellite able to communicate in Livonian
  

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• noun your characteristic style or manner of expressing yourself orally
  delivery; speech.
  
  • his manner of speaking was quite abrupt
  • her speech was barren of southernisms
  • I detected a slight accent in his speech

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• adjective satellite able to communicate in Oscan
  

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• plainness or bluntness of speech.

Webster 1913

Plain"-spo`ken adjective

Definitions

1. Speaking with plain, unreserved sincerity; also, spoken sincerely; as, plain-spoken words. Dryden.

Webster 1913

Pret"ty-spo`ken adjective

Definitions

1. Spoken or speaking prettily. Colloq.

Webster 1913

• adverb in actual fact
  to be precise; properly speaking.
  
  • properly speaking, they are not husband and wife

WordNet

• noun delivering an address to a public audience
  speechmaking; oral presentation; speaking.
  
  • people came to see the candidates and hear the speechmaking

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• adjective satellite rude or uncouth in speech
  

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• adjective satellite able to communicate in Russian
  

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• adjective satellite able to communicate in Samoyedic
  

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• adjective satellite able to communicate in a Semitic language
  

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Short"-spo`ken adjective

Definitions

1. Speaking in a quick or short manner; hence, gruff; curt. Colloq.

Webster 1913

• adjective satellite able to communicate in a Siouan language
  

WordNet

• adjective satellite expressing yourself readily, clearly, effectively
  silver-tongued; facile; eloquent; fluent; silver.
  
  • able to dazzle with his facile tongue
  • silver speech

WordNet

Smooth"-spo`ken adjective

Definitions

1. Speaking smoothly; plausible; flattering; smooth-tongued.

Webster 1913

• adverb as if it were really so
  as it were.
  
  • she lives here, as it were
• adverb in a manner of speaking
  as we say.
  
  • the feeling is, as we say, quite dead

WordNet

• adjective satellite having a speaking manner that is not loud or harsh
  
  • she was always soft-spoken

WordNet

Soft"-spo`ken adjective

Definitions

1. Speaking softly; having a mild or gentle voice; hence, mild; affable.

Webster 1913

• adjective satellite able to communicate in Spanish
  

WordNet

• verb be a spokesperson for
  
  • He represents the Government's position

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• verb speak unintelligibly in or as if in religious ecstasy
  
  • The parishioners spoke in tongues

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• verb mention someone's name who just then appears
  

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• verb express one's opinion openly and without fear or hesitation
  animadvert; opine; sound off; speak out.
  
  • John spoke up at the meeting

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• verb express one's opinion openly and without fear or hesitation
  animadvert; opine; sound off; speak out.
  
  • John spoke up at the meeting
• verb speak louder; raise one's voice
  
  • The audience asked the lecturer to please speak up

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• noun a trumpet-shaped acoustic device to intensify and direct the human voice; formerly held to the ear by a hard-of-hearing person
  

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• noun a tube for conveying the sound of a voice from one room to another
  

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• noun (language) communication by word of mouth
  oral communication; language; voice communication; speech communication; speech; spoken communication.
  
  • his speech was garbled
  • he uttered harsh language
  • he recorded the spoken language of the streets

WordNet

• noun (language) communication by word of mouth
  oral communication; language; voice communication; speech communication; speech; spoken communication.
  
  • his speech was garbled
  • he uttered harsh language
  • he recorded the spoken language of the streets

WordNet

• noun a word that is spoken aloud
  vocable.
  

WordNet

Straight"-spo`ken adjective

Definitions

1. Speaking with directness; plain-spoken. Colloq. U.S. Lowell.

Webster 1913

• adverb in actual fact
  to be precise; properly speaking.
  
  • properly speaking, they are not husband and wife

WordNet

• to be slightly acquainted.

Webster 1913

• to look or speak fiercely or reproachfully.

Webster 1913

• .

Webster 1913

• to thwart or obstruct one in the execution of some design.

Webster 1913

• (Naut.), to hail and speak to her captain or commander.

Webster 1913

• to speak with minute exactness.

Webster 1913

• to speak from information and definitely, not by guess as in telling a ship's bearing by the compass card.

Webster 1913

• to address with courtesy and frankness. Archaic

Webster 1913

• to speak for mere show, or popularly.

Webster 1913

• to take account of, to make mention of. Robynson (More's Utopia).

Webster 1913

• to speak loudly and distinctly; also, to speak unreservedly.

Webster 1913

• to commend; to be favorable to.

Webster 1913

• to converse with. "Would you speak with me?" Shak.

Webster 1913

• adjective satellite able to communicate in Turkic
  

WordNet

• adjective satellite speaking or spoken fittingly or pleasingly
  
  • a well-spoken gentleman
  • a few well-spoken words on civic pride

WordNet

Well"-spo`ken adjective

Etymology

Well + speak.

Definitions

1. Speaking well; speaking with fitness or grace; speaking kindly. "A knight well-spoken." Shak.
2. Spoken with propriety; as, well-spoken words.

Webster 1913

• noun support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim
  radius; spoke.
  

WordNet