- speak
- verb1 have a conversationADVERB▪ 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 to speak to him like that before.
PREPOSITION▪ about, to▪I need to speak to Joseph about this matter.
▪ with (esp. AmE)▪Can I speak with you for a minute?
PHRASES▪ be on speaking terms (with sb)▪We are still on speaking terms after the argument.
▪ a/the chance to speak, a/the opportunity to speak▪I didn't get a chance to speak to him.
▪ not be speaking (to sb)▪Ed and Dave aren't speaking at the moment.
▪ speaking of …▪Speaking of Brett, why isn't he here?
2 use your voice to say sthADVERB▪ loudly▪ quietly, softly▪ clearly▪You must speak loudly and clearly on the stage.
▪ slowly▪ calmly▪ briefly▪ at length▪ suddenly▪ hardly▪ eloquently, movingly▪She spoke eloquently about the need for action.
▪ lovingly, soothingly, warmly▪ disparagingly, harshly, sharply, sternly▪ authoritatively, forcefully▪ earnestly▪ coherently, intelligibly, meaningfully▪ freely, openly, publicly▪ directly▪The main character speaks directly into the camera.
▪ boldly▪ hesitantlyVERB + SPEAK▪ be able to, be unable to, can (hardly)▪She was so moved she could hardly speak.
▪ be allowed to▪ begin to, open your mouth to▪She opened her mouth to speak and found she couldn't.
▪ try to▪ not trust yourself to▪He nodded, not trusting himself to speak.
▪ hear sb▪I heard him speak at the debating society.
▪ invite sb to▪She was invited to speak at a Harvard conference.
PREPOSITION▪ about, on▪She speaks on women's issues.
▪ against▪He spoke out against mismanagement.
▪ for, on behalf of▪I speak for all my colleagues.
▪I speak on behalf of many thousands of women.
▪ in favour/favor of▪She spoke in favour/favor of the new tax.
▪ of▪He speaks very warmly of you.
▪ to▪He will be speaking to history students about the causes of war.
PHRASES▪ the ability to speak▪He lost his ability to speak.
▪ have the courage to speak▪They had the courage to speak the truth.
▪ the right to speak▪Everyone should have the right to speak their mind.
▪ speak from experience▪I'm speaking from experience, having been there often.
3 know a languageADVERB▪ fluently, well▪He speaks German fluently.
VERB + SPEAK▪ be able to, can▪ be unable to, cannot▪ learn to▪the benefits of learning to speak a foreign language
▪ teach sb toPREPOSITION▪ in▪Would you prefer it if we spoke in French?
PHRASES▪ the ability to speak sth▪The ability to speak another language is a valued skill.
Speak is used with these nouns as the subject: ↑immigrant
Collocations dictionary. 2013.
