Till at the last spake in this manner. --Chaucer.
Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth. --1 Sam. iii.
9.
2. To express opinions; to say; to talk; to converse.
That fluid substance in a few minutes begins to set,
as the tradesmen speak. --Boyle.
An honest man, is able to speak for himself, when a
knave is not. --Shak.
During the century and a half which followed the
Conquest, there is, to speak strictly, no English
history. --Macaulay.
3. To utter a speech, discourse, or harangue; to adress a
public assembly formally.
Many of the nobility made themselves popular by
speaking in Parliament against those things which
were most grateful to his majesty. --Clarendon.
4. To discourse; to make mention; to tell.
Lycan speaks of a part of C[ae]sar's army that came
to him from the Leman Lake. --Addison.
Make all our trumpets speak. --Shak.
6. To convey sentiments, ideas, or intelligence as if by
utterance; as, features that speak of self-will.
Thine eye begins to speak. --Shak.
{To speak of}, to take account of, to make mention of.
--Robynson (More's Utopia).
{To speak out}, to speak loudly and distinctly; also, to
speak unreservedly.
{To speak well for}, to commend; to be favorable to.
{To speak with}, to converse with. ``Would you speak with
me?'' --Shak.
Syn: To say; tell; talk; converse; discourse; articulate;
pronounce; utter.
2. Seeming to be capable of speech; hence, lifelike; as, a
speaking likeness.
{A speaking acquaintance}, a slight acquaintance with a
person, or one which merely permits the exchange of
salutations and remarks on indifferent subjects.
{Speaking trumpet}, an instrument somewhat resembling a
trumpet, by which the sound of the human voice may be so
intensified as to be conveyed to a great distance.
{Speaking tube}, a tube for conveying speech, especially from
one room to another at a distance.
{To be on speaking terms}, to be slightly acquainted.