speak

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English Vietnamese dictionary

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Advanced English dictionary

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have conversation
1 [V] ~ (to sb) (about sth/sb)
~ (with sb) (about sth/sb) to talk to sb about sth; to have a conversation with sb: I've spoken to the manager about it. + The President refused to speak to the waiting journalists. + (especially AmE) Can I speak with you for a minute? + 'Can I speak to Susan?' 'Speaking.' (= at the beginning of a telephone conversation) + 'Do you know him?' 'Not to speak to.' (= only by sight) + I saw her in the street but we didn't speak.
use voice
2 [V] to use your voice to say sth: He can't speak because of a throat infection. + Please speak more slowly. + Without speaking, she stood up and went out. + He speaks with a strange accent. + She has a beautiful speaking voice.
mention / describe
3 [V] ~ of / about sth/sb to mention or describe sth/sb: She still speaks about him with great affection. + Witnesses spoke of a great ball of flame. + Speaking of travelling, (= referring back to a subject just mentioned) are you going anywhere exciting this year? + The brochure speaks of beautiful secluded grounds.
a language
4 [VN] (not used in the progressive tenses) to be able to use a particular language: to speak several languages / a little Urdu / an unusual dialect + Do you speak English?
5 to use a particular language to express yourself: [VN] What language is it they're speaking? + [V] Would you prefer it if we spoke in German?
-speaking
6 (in adjectives) speaking the language mentioned: French-speaking Canada + non-English-speaking students
-speak
7 (in nouns) (informal, often disapproving) the language or JARGON of a particular group, organization or subject: computerspeak + eurospeak
make speech
8 [V] [usually +adv./prep.] to make a speech to an audience: to speak in public / on the radio / at a conference / to Congress + Professor Wilson was invited to speak about the results of his research. + She spoke in favour of the new tax. + He has a number of speaking engagements this week.
say / state
9 [VN] to say or state sth: She was clearly speaking the truth. + He spoke the final words of the play.
See also - SPOKEN
Idioms: be on speaking terms (with sb)
be speaking (to sb) to be willing to be polite or friendly towards sb, especially after an argument: She's not been on speaking terms with her uncle for years. + Are they speaking to each other again yet?
no sth / nothing to speak of
not to speak of such a small amount of sth that is not worth mentioning: She's saved a little money but nothing to speak of. + They've got no friends to speak of.
generally, broadly, roughly, relatively, etc. speaking used to show that what you are saying is true in a general, etc. way: Generally speaking, the more you pay, the more you get. + There are, broadly speaking, two ways of doing this. + Personally speaking, I've always preferred Italian food.
so to speak used to emphasize that you are expressing sth in an unusual or amusing way: They were all very similar. All cut from the same cloth, so to speak.
speak for itself / themselves to be so easy to see and understand that you do not need to say anything else about it/them: Her success speaks for itself. + Recent events speak for themselves.
speak for myself / herself / himself, etc. to express what you think or want yourself, rather than sb else doing it for you: I'm quite capable of speaking for myself, thank you!
speak for yourself (spoken, informal) used to tell sb that a general statement they have just made is not true of you: 'We didn't play very well.' 'Speak for yourself!' (= I think that I played well).
speaking as sth used to say that you are the type of person mentioned and are expressing your opinion from that point of view: Speaking as a parent, I'm very concerned about standards in education.
speak your mind to say exactly what you think, in a very direct way: She's never hesitated about speaking her mind.
speak out of turn to say sth when you should not, for example because it is not the right time or you are not the right person to say it
speak volumes (about / for sth/sb) to tell you a lot about sth/sb, without the need for words: His achievement speaks volumes for his determination. + What you wear speaks volumes about you.
speak well / ill of sb (formal) to say good or bad things about sb: She never speaks ill of anyone.
more at ACTION n., DEVIL, FACT, ILL n., LANGUAGE, MANNER, STRICTLY, TURN n.
Phrasal Verbs: speak for sb to state the views or wishes of a person or a group; to act as a representative for sb: Our party speaks for the poor and unemployed. + I can't speak for the others, but I'd love to come myself.
speak of sth (formal) to be evidence that sth exists or is present: Everything here speaks of perfect good taste.
speak out (against sth) to state your opinions publicly, especially in opposition to sth and in a way that takes courage: He was the only one to speak out against the decision. + I will continue to speak out on matters of public concern.
See also - OUTSPOKEN
speak to sb (about sth) (informal) to talk to sb in a serious way about sth wrong they have done, to try and stop them doing it again: This is the third time I've had to speak to him about being late.
speak up usually used in orders to tell sb to speak more loudly: Please speak up-we can't hear you at the back.
speak up (for sb/sth) to say what you think clearly and freely, especially in order to support or defend sb/sth
WHICH WORD?
speak / talk
Speak and talk have similar meanings.
Talk is more common in spoken English and usually suggests that two or more people are having a conversation or discussing something: We talked on the phone for nearly an hour. + John and I have been talking about our families. + Could I talk to you about the travel arrangements? Talk with is more formal than talk to in BrE, but it is very general in AmE:
He refused to talk with/to reporters.
Speak is a little more formal and suggests that someone is using their voice or that one person is saying something to a group: I was so shocked I couldn't speak. + Could you speak louder? + A doctor spoke to the class about/on stress. Speak to / with is often used in polite requests, for example when you are making a phone call. Speak with is a little more formal in BrE:
Hello, could I speak to Michael? + I'd like to speak to/with the manager, please.
When a noun follows speak, it must be a language: He speaks Italian. Talk can be followed by nouns such as business or sense.

Thesaurus dictionary

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v.

1 talk, converse, discourse:

We were not allowed to speak during lessons.

2 talk to, converse or discourse with, address, say (something or) anything to:

She was speaking quietly to the children. That is no way to speak to your elders.

3 talk, communicate in, discourse or converse in, communicate in, utter in, articulate in, use:

Can you really speak Chinese?

4 express, utter, say, state, tell, pronounce, enunciate, voice; articulate, make known, communicate, reveal, indicate:

He is speaking the truth.

5 symbolize, betoken, signify, communicate, convey, indicate:

Her refusal to return your love-letters speaks volumes.

6 so to speak. as it were, in a manner of speaking, figuratively or metaphorically (speaking):

When it comes to employee benefits, the boss is Scrooge himself, so to speak.

7 speak for.

(a) support, uphold, defend, stand up for, plead for, make a plea for, recommend, Colloq stick up for:

Be quiet and let Simon speak for himself.

(b) act on or in behalf of, act for, represent, act as agent for:

He is speaking for the whole staff when he expresses worries about the cuts.

(c) demand, require, beg, request, ask for:

The situation speaks urgently for an effective drug rehabilitation programme.

8 speak for itself. be self-evident, be obvious, be significant:

The fact that both your son and the ring are missing speaks for itself.

9 speak of. mention, advert to, allude to, refer to, make reference to, comment on, speak or talk about:

I begged you not to speak of her again in my presence.

10 speak on. discuss, address, discourse upon or on, speak to, treat (of), deal with, examine, touch upon or on:

In his presentation Dr Andrews spoke on the role of natural predators in pest control.

11 speak out or up.

(a) talk (more) loudly or clearly, make oneself heard:

I cannot hear you unless you speak up a bit.

(b) talk freely or unreservedly, express one's opinion, speak one's mind, declare, come out, state one's position, take a stand:

I heard a mother of ten speak out against birth control.

12 speak to.

(a) reprove, scold, reprimand, rebuke, admonish, warn, lecture:

After his father spoke to him, Nicholas stopped staying out so late.

(b) be meaningful to, appeal to, influence, affect, touch:

Constance's poetry effectively speaks to the heart.

(c) accost, address, talk to, Formal apostrophize:

I have to speak to the teacher after class.

(d) See 10, above.

13 spoken for. reserved, engaged, bespoke, set aside, accounted for, chosen, selected:

I'm afraid that the purple dress has already been spoken for, madam.

Collocation dictionary

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¹ have a conversation

ADV.

briefly

We spoke briefly on the phone.

| at length | hardly

Ben hardly spoke to me all evening.

VERB + SPEAK

want to | refuse to

The president refused to speak to the waiting journalists.

| dare (to)

No one had ever dared speak to him like that before.

PREP.

about, to

I need to speak to Joseph about this matter.

| with

Can I speak with you for a minute?

PHRASES

be on speaking terms (with sb)

We are still on speaking terms after the argument.

| not be speaking (to sb)

Ed and Dave aren't speaking at the moment.

² use your voice to say sth

ADV.

loudly | quietly, softly | clearly

You must speak loudly and clearly on the stage.

| slowly | calmly | brusquely, sharply | briefly | at length | suddenly | hardly | eloquently, movingly

She spoke eloquently about the need for action.

| lovingly, warmly | disparagingly, harshly | encouragingly, soothingly | authoritatively, forcefully | earnestly | coherently, intelligibly, meaningfully | absently | freely, openly | boldly | hesitantly | out

VERB + SPEAK

be able/unable to, can/could (hardly)

She was so moved she could hardly speak.

| begin to, open your mouth to

She opened her mouth to speak and found she couldn't.

| try to | dare not, not trust yourself to

He nodded, not trusting himself to speak.

| hear sb

I heard him speak at the debating society.

PREP.

about, against

He spoke out against mismanagement.

| for

I speak for all my colleagues.

| in favour of

She spoke in favour of the new tax.

| on

She speaks on women's issues.

| on behalf of

I speak on behalf of many thousands of women.

| of

He speaks very warmly of you.

| to

He will be speaking to history students about the causes of war.

³ know a language

ADV.

fluently, well

He speaks German fluently.

VERB + SPEAK

be able/unable to, can/could | learn to

learning to speak a foreign language

| teach sb to

PREP.

in

Would you prefer it if we spoke in French?

Concise English dictionary

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spoke|spoken|speaks|speakingspɪːk
verb
+express in speech
+exchange thoughts; talk with
+use language
+give a speech to
+make a characteristic or natural sound