speak
verb
uk/spiːk/us/spiːk/spoke|spokenspeakverb(SAY WORDS)
A1[IorT]
to say words, to use thevoice, or to have aconversationwith someone:
说话，谈话；说Would youmindspeaking moreslowly,please?请你再慢点说，好吗？
mainlyUK"Can I speaktoDanplease?"“请问丹在吗？”
mainlyUS"Can I speakwithScottplease?"“请问斯科特在吗？”
"Speaking."(= This is Scott.)“我就是。”
If hetellsJulie what I said, I'll never speaktohim again.如果他把我说的话告诉朱莉，我就再也不和他说话。
formalShe spokeofhersadnessover her father'sdeath.她谈起了父亲过世带给她的悲伤。
She speaks veryhighlyof(= says good things about)the newdirector.她对新导演的评价很高。
I cancertainlycome but I can't speakformywife(= I can'ttellyou whether she can or not).我肯定能来，可我不能确定我妻子能不能来。
formalWho is going to speakfor(=representin acourtoflaw)theaccused?谁将为被告辩护？
He'soldenough to speakforhimself(= to say what hethinks).他已经到了能发表自己看法的年龄。
I went with Ava - speakingof(= on thesubjectof)Ava, have youseenher newhaircut?我和艾娃一起去的——说起艾娃，你见过她的新发型了吗？
We've beeninvitedto Rachel and Jamie'swedding- speakingof which, did youknowthat they'removingto New York?我们应邀参加了雷切尔和杰米的婚礼——说起这个，你知道他们要搬到纽约去吗？
Speakingas(= with myexperienceas)amotherof four, I cantellyou thatchildrenareexhausting.作为4个孩子的母亲，我可以这么说，孩子真会让人筋疲力尽。
Sue speakswith anAmericanaccent.苏说话带美国口音。
Why are you speakingin awhisper(= veryquietly)?你为什么说话这么小声？
For fivewholeminutes, neither of them spokea word(= they both said nothing).足有5分钟的时间，他俩谁都没说话。
to talk to someone
- talkA group of men were talking in the street.
- speakCould I speak to you privately?
- sayI couldn't hear what they were saying.
- chatWe were just chatting about the party.
- have a chatWe had a little chat over the garden wall.
- chatterThey spent the morning chattering away.
to talk about something
- talk aboutI don't like talking about my feelings.
- speak aboutHe is often asked to speak about the decline of global energy supplies.
- discussWe need to discuss arrangements for next week.
- talk overI need to talk it over with my wife before I accept the job.
- talk throughWe're used to talking things through, so we don't have many arguments.
- debateThe bill will be debated in parliament next week.
broadly, historically, strictly, etc. speaking
B2
talkingfrom aparticularpointofview:
（表示看问题的角度）大体上说／从历史的角度看／严格地说（等等）Historically speaking, theislandis ofgreatinterest.从历史的角度说，那个岛很值得关注。
Generally speaking, it's a goodschool.总的来说，这是一所不错的学校。
Strictly speaking(= if Ibehaveaccordingto therules), I shouldreportit to thepolice.严格地说，我应该向警方告发这件事。
speak tosomeone
totellsomeone that they have done somethingwrong:
责备（某人）；告诫（某人）Themanagerpromisedthat she would speak to thepersonresponsible.经理答应说，她会告诫当事人的。
- Choking back myanger, Itriedto speakcalmly.
- Sheclearedherthroatnervouslybefore shebeganto speak.
- Can I speak to youconfidentially?
- "Can I speak to Isobel,please?" "She's still inbed. I'll just go andseeif she'sconsciousyet."
- It isconsideredbadmannersin someculturesto speak withyourmouthfulloffood.
Saying & uttering
- (your)every wordidiom
- add
- come
- come out withsomething
- every
- fall fromsomething
- findyourvoiceidiom
- floor
- get in
- inyourown wordsidiom
- intone
- loud
- mouth
- quoth
- string
- text
- think
- utterance
- verbalize
- volunteer
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Lecturing & addressing
Chastising & rebuking
speakverb(LANGUAGE)
A1[T]
to (beableto)talkin alanguage:
（会）说，（会）讲（某种语言）He speaksfluentFrench.他法语说得很流利。
How manyforeignlanguagesdo you speak?你会说几种外语？
I couldn't speaka word of(= I did notknowany)Spanishwhen I got there.我初到那里的时候，一句西班牙语都不会说。
I couldn'tfigureout whatlanguagethey were speaking.我无法理解他们说的是什么语言。
- Unable to speak a word of thelanguage, hecommunicatedwith hishands.
- They speak alanguageakintoFrench.
- Do you speakEnglish?
- I'd like to speakEnglishfluently.
- Do you speakSwedish?
Using other languages
- Anglocentric
- Anglocentrism
- anglophone
- bilingualism
- biliterate
- code switch
- interpret
- linguist
- monolingual
- native speaker
- non-native
- non-native speaker
- non-speaker
- pinyin
- polyglot
- render
- rendering
- signer
- target language
- translator
speakverb(FORMAL TALK)
B2[I]
to give aformaltalkto agroupofpeople:
发言；讲话；演讲Who is speaking in thedebatetonight?今天晚上的辩论谁发言？
The Queen speakstothenationontelevisioneveryChristmas.每年圣诞节女王都会在电视上向全国发表讲话。
Janet is speakingforthemotion(=tryingtopersuadethepeoplelisteningthat theideais good)and Peter is speakingagainst(it)(=tryingtopersuadethem that it isbad).珍妮特发言支持这项动议，而彼得却打算表示反对。
- Theaudienceclappedandcheeredwhen shestoodup to speak.
- I'vedeputedLaraBrownto speak for me at theconference.
- Theyinvitedher to speakespeciallybecause of herexperienceininnercities.
- There wasloudjeeringfrom theoppositionpartieswhen theprimeministerstoodup to speak.
- He didn'twantto beinvolvedin theorganizationof theconference,althoughhe waswillingtoattendand speak.
Lecturing & addressing
- ad lib
- co-present
- discourse
- eunoia
- extemporize
- floor
- harangue
- hold
- jawbone
- lead
- lead off
- lightning talk
- monologue
- onto
- PechaKucha
- presentation
- sermon
- sermonize
- speechify
- valediction
speakverb(SUGGEST)
[I+ adv/prep,T]literary
to show orexpresssomething without using words:
（不用言语）表明，显示She wassilent, but hereyesspoke herrealfeelingsfor him.她没有说话，不过她的眼神流露出了对他的真实感情。
Thewholerobberyspokeof(= made itseemthat there had been)insideknowledgeon thepartof thecriminals.整个抢劫事件表明罪犯掌握了内情。
Showing and demonstrating
- act out
- attest
- bespeak
- betray
- breastbeating
- bring
- define
- demonstrative
- glimmer
- indicate
- masterclass
- outlet
- point (something/someone) out
- point the wayidiom
- point to/towardssomething
- probatory
- produce
- visualization
- wear
- whiff
Grammar
Speakortalk?
The verbs speak and talk both generally mean ‘say words’, but there are some small differences in how they are used. Speak is more formal than talk.…Speakandtalk: uses
The verbs speak and talk both generally mean ‘say words’, but there are some small differences in how they are used. Speak is more formal than talk.…Speakandtalkwith prepositions
We usually use to after speak and talk. In more formal situations, people sometimes use with:…Idioms
be on speaking terms
none to speak of
not be on speaking terms
so to speak
speakyourmind
speak for yourself
speak too soon
speak tosomeone
speak volumes
speak when you're spoken to!
speaks for itself
Phrasal verbs
speak out/up
speak tosomething
speak up
speak up forsomeone/something