speech en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /spiːt͡ʃ/ (Early, Modern)
- /spiːt͡ʃ/
- /spɛːt͡ʃ/ (Early, Modern)
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-West Germanic *sprākī Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Germanic *-ō Proto-West Germanic *-u Proto-West Germanic *sprāku Old English sprǣċ Old English spǣċ Middle English speche English speech From Middle English speche, from Old English spǣċ, sprǣċ (“speech, discourse, language”), from Proto-West Germanic *sprāku (“speech, language”), from Proto-Indo-European *spereg-, *spreg- (“to make a sound”). Cognate with Dutch spraak (“speech”), German Sprache (“language, speech”). More at speak.
Meanings
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(uncountable) The ability to speak; the faculty of uttering words or articulate sounds and vocalizations to communicate.
All this was extraordinarily distasteful to Churchill. It was ugly, gross. Never before had he felt such repulsion when the vicar displayed his characteristic bluntness or coarseness of speech. In the present connexion[…] such talk had been distressingly out of place.
1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:After the accident she lost her speech.
I was at liberty to attend to Wilbert, who I could see desired speech with me. […] As far as Bobbie and I were concerned, silence reigned, this novel twist in the scenario having wiped speech from our lips, as the expression is, but Phyllis continued vocal. […] For perhaps a quarter of a minute after he had passed from the scene the aged relative stood struggling for utterance. At the end of this period she found speech. “Of all the damn silly fatheaded things!”
1960, P[elham] G[renville] Wodehouse, “XV AND XVIII”, in Jeeves in the Offing, London: Herbert Jenkins, →OCLC:He had a bad speech impediment.
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(uncountable) The act of speaking, a certain style of it.
It was hard to hear his speech over the noise.
Manganism has been known about since the 19th century, when miners exposed to ores containing manganese, a silvery metal, began to totter, slur their speech and behave like someone inebriated.
2014 April 21, “Subtle effects”, in The Economist, volume 411, number 8884, archived from the original on 30 Apr 2014:Her speech was soft and lilting.
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(countable) A formal session of speaking, especially a long oral message given publicly by one person.
The constant design of both these orators, in all their speeches, was to drive some one particular point.
1720, Jonathan Swift, A Letter to a Young Clergyman:He's going to present the prizes at Market Snodsbury Grammar School. We've been caught short as usual, and somebody has got to make a speech on ideals and the great world outside to those blasted boys, so he fits in nicely. I believe he's a very fine speaker. His only trouble is that he's stymied unless he has his speech with him and can read it. Calls it referring to his notes. […] “So that's why he's been going about looking like a dead fish. I suppose Roberta broke the engagement?” “In a speech lasting five minutes without a pause for breath.”
1960, P[elham] G[renville] Wodehouse, “I AND XII”, in Jeeves in the Offing, London: Herbert Jenkins, →OCLC:The candidate made some ambitious promises in his campaign speech.
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(countable) A dialect, vernacular, or (dated) a language.
For thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech, and of an hard language, but to the house of Israel.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Ezekiel 3:6:The speche of Englande is a base speche to other noble speches, as Italion, Castylion, and Frenche; howbeit the speche of Englande of late dayes is amended.
1542, Andrew Boorde, The Fyrst Boke of the Introduction of Knowledge:
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(uncountable) Language used orally, rather than in writing.
This word is mostly used in speech.
- (countable, uncountable) An utterance that is quoted; see direct speech, reported speech
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(uncountable) Public talk, news, gossip, rumour.
The duke[…]did of me demand / What was the speech among the Londoners / Concerning the French journey.
1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| speeches | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| speach | alternative, obsolete | lexicographic |
Deriveds
speechwriter · free speech · speech time · speechification · free indirect speech · speech day · speecher · speech pathologist · Visible Speech · speechment · symbolic speech · freedom of speech · avoidance speech · twin speech · Queen's speech · midspeech · speechwright · plain speech · speech act · speechworthy · speech fright · speechcraft · speechreading · throne speech · co-speech · speech way · text-to-speech · free speech zone · speech impediment · hate-speech · speechlore · speech community · speech disfluency · helium speech · prespeech · speechify · second-hand speech · acceptance speech · nonspeech · speech therapy · speechway · speechmaking · speechlike · speech path · cyberspeech · speech tag · antispeech · maiden speech · keynote speech · opening speech · stump speech · child-directed speech · speechy · oblique speech · running speech · speechless · misspeech · impulsive speech · speech-based picking · speech disorder · finger speech · hate speech · speech bubble · speech therapist · figure of speech · speechwriting · speech balloon · endspeech · speech-crier · speechful · speechie · free as in speech · speechfright · pressure of speech · speechmaker · speech recognition · caretaker speech · liberty of speech · compelled speech · furspeech · by-speech · uwu speech · part of speech · counterspeech · speech from the throne · time-assignment speech interpolation · protospeech · King's speech · speech mark · indirect speech
Descendants
Holonyms
Hyponyms
byspeech · after-dinner speech · pressured speech · forespeech
Meronyms
Relateds
Synonyms
locution · tongue · language · address · monologue · allocution · lingo · speech · soliloquy · leid · parlance · speech · oration
Translations (276)
ka სიტყვით გამოსვლა (an oration, session of speaking) · ur بات چِیت (vocal communication) · sat ᱨᱳᱲ (vocal communication) · bg реч (vocal communication) · ur بھاشَن (vocal communication) · nv saad (vocal communication) · sq ligjëratë (reported speech) · fa-ira کَلام (vocal communication) · ur تَقْرِیر (vocal communication) · et kõne (vocal communication) · eo prelego (an oration, session of speaking) · ar قَوْل (an oration, session of speaking) · pt discurso (an oration, session of speaking) · mnc ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ (vocal communication) · hy ճառ (an oration, session of speaking) · is tal (vocal communication) · yue 演說 /演说 (vocal communication) · vi chúc từ (an oration, session of speaking) · ru речь (vocal communication) · is tala (an oration, session of speaking) · hi भाषण (an oration, session of speaking) · da tale (vocal communication) · fi puhe (vocal communication) · el λόγος (an oration, session of speaking) · mk говор (vocal communication) · uk мо́влення (vocal communication) · ru речь (an oration, session of speaking) · lt kalba (an oration, session of speaking) · ru дар ре́чи (vocal communication) · ml സംസാരം (vocal communication) · az danışıq (style of speaking) · kk сөйлеу (vocal communication) · ar نُطْق (an oration, session of speaking) · az nitq (an oration, session of speaking) · kk сөйлеу (an oration, session of speaking) · es prédica (an oration, session of speaking) · ba телмәр (vocal communication) · mi whaikōrero (an oration, session of speaking) · lt šneka (vocal communication) · ru спич (an oration, session of speaking) · fa-ira گُفْتار (vocal communication) · es habla (vocal communication) · ky речь (vocal communication) · ko 말 (vocal communication) · ru говоре́ние (vocal communication) · cmn 演說 /演说 (an oration, session of speaking) · sv tal (vocal communication) · pl przemówienie (an oration, session of speaking) · es discurso (an oration, session of speaking) · tr söz (vocal communication) · bn ভাষণ (an oration, session of speaking) · gl falar (vocal communication) · nl rede (an oration, session of speaking) · hu beszéd (style of speaking) · oc discors (an oration, session of speaking) · lt pranešimas (an oration, session of speaking) · cho anumpa (vocal communication) · yue 語言 /语言 (vocal communication) · da tale (an oration, session of speaking) · nl speech (an oration, session of speaking) · fa-ira سُخَنْرانی (an oration, session of speaking) · cmn 說話 /说话 (vocal communication) · kk сөз (vocal communication) · ug سۆز (an oration, session of speaking) · ga urlabhra (vocal communication) · th การพูด (an oration, session of speaking) · az danışıq (vocal communication) · mn үг (an oration, session of speaking) · af toespraak (an oration, session of speaking) · aqc чӏат (vocal communication) · hi तक़रीर (an oration, session of speaking) · zdj hotuba (an oration, session of speaking) · el ομιλία (vocal communication) · bg го́вор (vocal communication) · bn জবান (vocal communication) · ar خِطَاب (an oration, session of speaking) · yue 講話 /讲话 (vocal communication) · hu beszéd (an oration, session of speaking) · ur سُخَن (vocal communication) · mi onetū (an oration, session of speaking) · et kõne (an oration, session of speaking) · uk промо́ва (an oration, session of speaking) · hy խոսք (vocal communication) · la ōrātiō (an oration, session of speaking) · ru го́вор (vocal communication) · la locutio (an oration, session of speaking) · bn কথা (vocal communication) · uk мо́ва (vocal communication) · ro discurs (an oration, session of speaking) · th คำพูด (vocal communication) · is ávarp (an oration, session of speaking) · ht lapawòl (vocal communication) · be гаво́рка (an oration, session of speaking) · cmn 演說 /演说 (vocal communication) · ur گُفْتار (vocal communication) · ky сүйлөө (an oration, session of speaking) · xdq гъай (vocal communication) · uz soʻz (an oration, session of speaking) · yua tʼaan (vocal communication) · ja 演説 (vocal communication) · mk реч (vocal communication) · hu beszéd (vocal communication) · sh го̏во̄р (an oration, session of speaking) · cs řeč (an oration, session of speaking) · uk го́вір (vocal communication) · ar نُطْق (vocal communication) · km សេចក្តីថ្លែង (an oration, session of speaking) · lv runa (an oration, session of speaking) · mn илтгэл (vocal communication) · vi ngôn từ (vocal communication) · ar خُطْبَة (vocal communication) · sk reč (vocal communication) · gl galra (vocal communication) · lb Usprooch (an oration, session of speaking) · tg нутқ (an oration, session of speaking) · bg реч (an oration, session of speaking) · nb tale (vocal communication) · pap abla (vocal communication) · bn বক্তৃতা (an oration, session of speaking) · mk говор (an oration, session of speaking) · hi तक़रीर (vocal communication) · te ఉపన్యాసం (an oration, session of speaking) · bg непря́ка реч (reported speech) · de Sprache (vocal communication) · th ถ้อย (vocal communication) · sl govor (an oration, session of speaking) · uz nutq (an oration, session of speaking) · az nitq (vocal communication) · uk спіч (an oration, session of speaking) · be прамо́ва (an oration, session of speaking) · ur بات (vocal communication) · fa-ira تَقْریر (vocal communication) · he נְאוּם (an oration, session of speaking) · is mál (vocal communication) · ga óráid (an oration, session of speaking) · uk мо́влення (an oration, session of speaking) · sh gȍvōr (vocal communication) · ca parla (an oration, session of speaking) · is málhæfileiki (vocal communication) · it parola (vocal communication) · sq të folur (vocal communication) · ast faladera (vocal communication) · tr konuşma (an oration, session of speaking) · ka მეტყველება (vocal communication) · is ræða (an oration, session of speaking) · la fatum (vocal communication) · lb Ried (an oration, session of speaking) · be маўле́нне (vocal communication) · nl spraak (vocal communication) · ko 연설 (vocal communication) · hi बोल (vocal communication) · hi बातचीत (vocal communication) · ur نُطْق (an oration, session of speaking) · ja スピーチ (vocal communication) · nrf discours (an oration, session of speaking) · ko 연설 (an oration, session of speaking) · gun ayvu (vocal communication) · lv runa (vocal communication) · la fatum (an oration, session of speaking) · lt prakalba (an oration, session of speaking) · th พาท (vocal communication) · oc paraula (vocal communication) · mi whaikupu (an oration, session of speaking) · la locutio (vocal communication) · ro cuvântare (an oration, session of speaking) · ka სიტყვა (vocal communication) · hi उक्ति (vocal communication) · cmn 語言 /语言 (vocal communication) · ar كَلَام (an oration, session of speaking) · sa वाद (an oration, session of speaking) · fr discours (an oration, session of speaking) · ga labhairt (vocal communication) · ms ucapan (an oration, session of speaking) · gl fala (vocal communication) · ja 話 (vocal communication) · km សុន្ទរកថា (an oration, session of speaking) · sl govor (vocal communication) · sk reč (an oration, session of speaking) · tg сухан (vocal communication) · es alocución (an oration, session of speaking) · ko 말하기 (vocal communication) · isd kaxi (vocal communication) · cu рѣчь (vocal communication) · el λόγος (vocal communication) · ky речь (an oration, session of speaking) · la eloquium (vocal communication) · af spraakstyl (style of speaking) · hi बात (vocal communication) · fi puhe (an oration, session of speaking) · is mæli (vocal communication) · ja 演説 (an oration, session of speaking) · mi kōrero (an oration, session of speaking) · ar قَوْل (vocal communication) · fa-ira صُحْبَت (vocal communication) · cs projev (an oration, session of speaking) · de Rede (an oration, session of speaking) · ro vorbire (vocal communication) · hy ելույթ (an oration, session of speaking) · it discorso (an oration, session of speaking) · fa-ira سُخَن (vocal communication) · bn বাক (vocal communication) · ru выступле́ние (an oration, session of speaking) · ar كَلَام (vocal communication) · sv tal (an oration, session of speaking) · el ομιλία (an oration, session of speaking) · sh gȍvōr (an oration, session of speaking) · ca discurs (an oration, session of speaking) · el αγόρευση (an oration, session of speaking) · ca parla (vocal communication) · km សន្ទរកថា (an oration, session of speaking) · pl mowa (an oration, session of speaking) · yai гап (vocal communication) · es soflama (an oration, session of speaking) · nb stemme (vocal communication) · ba телмәр (an oration, session of speaking) · ky сөз (an oration, session of speaking) · la eloquium (an oration, session of speaking) · mn үг (vocal communication) · be спіч (an oration, session of speaking) · es fabla (vocal communication) · kk сөз (an oration, session of speaking) · th ภารดี (vocal communication) · is málfar (vocal communication) · ket ӄаʼ (vocal communication) · txb plāce (vocal communication) · ur تَقْرِیر (an oration, session of speaking) · ar حَدِيث (vocal communication) · eu mintzamen (vocal communication) · pl wystąpienie (an oration, session of speaking) · ga caint (vocal communication) · la dictiō (vocal communication) · km កថា (an oration, session of speaking) · be гаво́рка (vocal communication) · pl mowa (vocal communication) · vi lời nói (vocal communication) · cu ⱃⱑⱍⱐ (vocal communication) · tg гап (vocal communication) · fr parole (vocal communication) · fi lainaus (reported speech) · ka სიტყვა (an oration, session of speaking) · gl discurso (an oration, session of speaking) · ltg runa (vocal communication) · fi puhe (style of speaking) · ota قال (an oration, session of speaking) · be мо́ва (vocal communication) · lt kalba (vocal communication) · he דיבור (vocal communication) · ml പ്രസംഗം (an oration, session of speaking) · mn илтгэл (an oration, session of speaking) · sq fjalim (an oration, session of speaking) · id pidato (an oration, session of speaking) · lb Sprooch (vocal communication) · cy lleferydd (vocal communication) · mi mita (style of speaking) · nl toespraak (an oration, session of speaking) · tr konuşma (vocal communication) · th วจนะ (vocal communication) · pt fala (vocal communication) · grc λόγος (an oration, session of speaking) · is framburður (vocal communication) · sh го̏во̄р (vocal communication) · he הַרְצָאָה (an oration, session of speaking) · ur بول (vocal communication) · ug نۇتۇق (an oration, session of speaking) · ar حَدِيث (an oration, session of speaking) · tg гуфтор (an oration, session of speaking) · fa-ira نُطْق (an oration, session of speaking) · af spraak (vocal communication) · de Ansprache (an oration, session of speaking) · he דִּבּוּר (vocal communication) · cs řeč (vocal communication) · nb tale (an oration, session of speaking) · tg сухан (an oration, session of speaking) · ang sprǣċ (vocal communication) · ky сүйлөө (vocal communication) · ru ко́свенная речь (reported speech)