In the 18th century, the Swedish government made coffee and its paraphernalia (including cups and dishes) illegal for its supposed ties to rebellious sentiment.
SPOKING
Verb
spoking
present participle of spoke
Anagrams
• pokings
Source: Wiktionary
SPOKE
Spoke,
Definition: imp. of Speak.
Spoke, n. Etym: [OE. spoke, spake, AS, spaca; akin to D. speek, LG. speke, OHG. speihha, G. speiche. sq. root170. Cf. Spike a nail.]
1. The radius or ray of a wheel; one of the small bars which are inserted in the hub, or nave, and which serve to support the rim or felly.
2. (Naut.)
Definition: A projecting handle of a steering wheel.
3. A rung, or round, of a ladder.
4. A contrivance for fastening the wheel of a vehicle, to prevent it from turning in going down a hill. To put a spoke in one's wheel, to thwart or obstruct one in the execution of some design.
Spoke, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spoked; p. pr. & vb. n. Spoking.]
Definition: To furnish with spokes, as a wheel.
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
Recent Word Finds
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27 February 2025
SUMMIT
(verb) reach the summit (of a mountain); “They breasted the mountain”; “Many mountaineers go up Mt. Everest but not all summit”
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