SPEAKING

speaking

(adjective) capable of or involving speech or speaking; “human beings--the speaking animals”; “a speaking part in the play”

speaking, speech production

(noun) the utterance of intelligible speech

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology 1

Adjective

speaking (not comparable)

Used in speaking.

Expressive; eloquent.

Involving speaking.

Having the ability of speech.

(in compounds) Having competence in a language.

Antonyms

• (expressive): unspeaking

• (involving speaking): nonspeaking

Etymology 2

Noun

speaking (plural speakings)

One's ability to communicate vocally in a given language.

The act of communicating vocally.

An oral recitation of e.g. a story.

Etymology 3

Verb

speaking

present participle of speak

Anagrams

• peakings

Source: Wiktionary

Speak"ing, a.

1. Uttering speech; used for conveying speech; as, man is a speaking animal; a speaking tube.

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.

Speak"ing, n.

1. The act of uttering words.

2. Public declamation; oratory.

SPEAK

Speak, v. i. [imp. Spoke (Spake ( Archaic); p. p. Spoken (Spoke, Obs. or Colloq.); p. pr. & vb. n. Speaking.] Etym: [OE. speken, AS. specan, sprecan; akin to OF.ries. spreka, D. spreken, OS. spreken, G. sprechen, OHG. sprehhan, and perhaps to Skr. sphurj to crackle, to thunder. Cf. Spark of fire, Speech.]

1. To utter words or articulate sounds, as human beings; to express thoughts by words; as, the organs may be so obstructed that a man may not be able to speak. 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 Cæsar's army that came to him from the Leman Lake. Addison.

5. To give sound; to sound. 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.

Speak, v. t.

1. To utter with the mouth; to pronounce; to utter articulately, as human beings. They sat down with him upn ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him. Job. ii. 13.

2. To utter in a word or words; to say; to tell; to declare orally; as, to speak the truth; to speak sense.

3. To declare; to proclaim; to publish; to make known; to exhibit; to express in any way. It is my father;s muste To speak your deeds. Shak. Speaking a still good morrow with her eyes. Tennyson. And for the heaven's wide circuit, let it speak The maker's high magnificence. Milton. Report speaks you a bonny monk. Sir W. Scott.

4. To talk or converse in; to utter or pronounce, as in conversation; as, to speak Latin. And French she spake full fair and fetisely. Chaucer.

5. To address; to accost; to speak to. [He will] thee in hope; he will speak thee fair. Ecclus. xiii. 6. each village senior paused to scan And speak the lovely caravan. Emerson. To speak a ship (Naut.), to hail and speak to her captain or commander.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition