Alexander Schmidt, Shakespeare Lexicon and Quotation Dictionary

Speak (impf. spake or spoke; partic. spoke or spoken; spake in H8 II, 4, 153 to be explained by an anacoluthon); 1) to use language, to express one's thoughts by words: Ven. 208. Ven. 208 Ven. 208 Ven. 208 Ven. 208 Tp. I, 2, 260. Tp. I, 2, 260 Tp. I, 2, 260 Tp. I, 2, 260 III, 1, 63. III, 3, 96. IV, 1, 31. V, 201. Gent. I, 2, 29. II, 1, 26. IV, 2, 87. Wiv. I, 3, 14. Meas. III, 1, 86. Err. II, 1, 50. Ado II, 1, 201. As IV, 1, 72. Shr. V, 2, 37. All's V, 2, 12. Wint. I, 2, 88. Wint. I, 2, 88 John III, 1, 124. IV, 2, 177. V, 2, 64 “(even there, methinks, an angel spake).” R2 V, 2, 12. H4B I, 1, 59. IV, 5, 142. H6B III, 1, 266. H6C I, 1, 66. H6C I, 1, 66 H6C I, 1, 66 II, 2, 66. R3 I, 4, 156. Oth. III, 1, 4 (they s. i' the nose. cf. “Nose).” Ant. II, 2, 102 etc. etc. Used of the contents of writings: “or senseless --ing or a --ing such as sense cannot untie,” Cymb. V, 4, 148. cf. Caes. IV, 3, 177. to stand and s. == to be in life: Ant. V, 1, 7. V, 2, 344; cf. Tp. II, 1, 214. to s. together == to be together, to meet: R2 II, 3, 29. Tim. I, 1, 62. Caes. V, 1, 99. Mcb. III, 1, 74. to s. on == to continue to speak: H8 III, 2, 306. “you spake in Latin,” Wiv. I, 1, 185. s. in English, H8 III, I, 46. “so far,” Lr. V, 3, 63. “too far,” Cymb. V, 5, 309. “s. true,” Tp. II, 1, 20. As V, 4, 82. H6B III, 1, 183. “truly,” Meas. V, 37. John IV, 3, 92. H4A I, 2, 105. (to s. fair, false, big, low, small, thick, see in the resp. articles). to s. with a p. == to talk, to converse with a p.: Gent. II, 4, 116. IV, 4, 114. Wiv. II, 2, 32. Wiv. II, 2, 32 III, 3, 95. IV, 5, 35. IV, 5, 35 V, 2, 4. Meas. I, 4, 10. V, 223. V, 223 Err. II, 1, 47. II, 2, 5. II, 2, 5 Mids. I, 1, 112. Merch. I, 3, 31. II, 2, 154. III, 1, 78. IV, 2, 12. Shr. V, 1, 20. All's II, 1, 85. II, 5, 60. III, 4, 20. Wint. V, 1, 197. H4B I, 1, 25. R3 III, 7, 46. R3 III, 7, 46 Lr. I, 2, 169. IV, 5, 4. Cymb. I, 1, 177 etc. etc.
to s. to == to say sth. to, to address, to apply to by words: Ven. 918. Tp. II, 2, 105. Wiv. V, 5, 51. Meas. III, 1, 198. V, 286. Err. II, 2, 120. Err. II, 2, 120 V, 12. As I, 3, 81. III, 5, 105. Tw. V, 190. H4B IV, 5, 158. R3 III, 4, 89. III, 7, 30. Hml. I, 1, 45. Ant. IV, 2, 40 etc. Sometimes == to apply to, to call upon, to address one's self to in any manner: “s. to the mariners,” Tp. I, 1, 3 (exhort them, bid them do their best). “s. to Mistress Page,” Wiv. III, 4, 81. “it is the manner of a man to s. to a woman,” LLL I, 1, 212. “never to s. to lady afterward in way of marriage,” Merch. II, 1, 41. “I was spoke to, with Sir Henry Guildford, this night to be comptrollers,” H8 I, 3, 66. “say thou No, this sword, this arm, and my best spirits, are bent to prove upon thy heart, whereto I s., thou liest,” Lr. V, 3, 140 (which I call up to bear evidence). “my demerits may s. unbonneted to as proud a fortune as this,” Oth. I, 2, 23 (== may apply to, may claim). “more urgent touches do strongly s. to us,” Ant. I, 2, 188.
to s. of, usually == to talk about: Wiv. IV, 4, 17. Meas. I, 2, 140. I, 3, 6. V, 284. V, 284 V, 284 Mids. I, 1, 112. Shr. II, 193. All's III, 6, 119. Tw. II, 3, 23. H4A I, 1, 46. III, 1, 12. R3 II, 1, 108. Oth. II, 1, 31 (but cf. Comfort) etc. etc. “to s. ill of,” Tw. III, 4, 111. “to s. well of,” Sonn. 34, 7. Wiv. IV, 5, 65. H4B II, 2, 69 “(on).” R3 V, 3, 192. Tim. IV, 3, 173. “better,” All's II, 5, 51. “foully,” H4A I, 3, 154. “admiringly,” All's I, 1, 33. “scantly,” Ant. III, 4, 6 etc. Peculiar passage: “we have not spoke us yet of torch-bearers,” Merch. II, 4, 5 (us evidently the dativus commodi; == we have not yet spoken of torch-bearers as necessary to our purpose, i. e. we have not yet bespoken torch-bearers). Sometimes to s. of == to express in words (in negative sentences): “I would not break with her for more money than I'll s. of,” Wiv. III, 2, 57. “they are not to be named, not to be spoke of,” Ado IV, 1, 97 (Ff spoken of). “then have you lost a sight, which was to be seen, cannot be spoken of,” Wint. V, 2, 47. “this priest has no pride in him? Not to s. of,” H8 II, 2, 82. “a sight past --ing of in a king,” Lr. IV, 6, 209.
To s., abs., == to confer about sth. by way of coming to an agreement: “what says he to your daughter? have you spoke?” All's V, 3, 28. “we will s. further,” Mcb. I, 5, 72. “I have spoke already, and it is provided,” Ant. V, 2, 195.
Sometimes, in a kind of euphemism, == to exchange blows, to fight: “they lie in view, but have not spoke as yet,” Cor. I, 4, 4. “would we had spoke together,” Ant. II, 2, 167. “we'll s. with thee at sea,” II, 6, 25.
2) to be expressive, to have a meaning: “her foot --s,” Troil. IV, 5, 56. “she --s, yet she says nothing,” Rom. II, 2, 12. “most --ing looks,” Lr. IV, 5, 25. Trans., == to be expressive of, to show, to prove: “whose fury not dissembled --s his griefs,” Tit. I, 438. “how this grace --s his own standing,” Tim. I, 1, 31. “sundry blessings hang about his throne, that s. him full of grace,” Mcb. IV, 3, 159. “whose virtue and whose graces s. that which none else can utter,” Ant. II, 2, 132. “what his very action --s in every power that moves,” III, 12, 35. With a clause: “are you so much in love as your rhymes s.?” As III, 2, 417. “whose love had spoke, even since it could s., freely that it was yours,” Wint. III, 2, 70. “the ruin --s that sometime it was a worthy building,” Cymb. IV, 2, 354. “his sealed commission doth s. sufficiently he's gone,” Per. I, 3, 14. Absol.: “let proof s.” Cymb. III, 1, 77.
3) to utter with the mouth, to pronounce, to utter articulately: “s. fair words, or else be mute,” Ven. 208. “spoke the prologue of our comedy,” Wiv. III, 5, 75. “are these things spoken, or do I but dream?” Ado IV, 1, 67. Ado IV, 1, 67 “s. off half a dozen dangerous words,” V, 1, 97. “'then' is spoken.” V, 2, 46. “one that hath spoke most villanous speeches,” Meas. V, 265; LLL V, 2, 110; 148; Mids. III, 1, 77; Rom. I, 4, 1; Hml. II, 2, 454. “thou hast spoken no word all this while,” LLL V, 1, 156; Meas. V, 129; Err. II, 2, 13; As I, 1, 89; Shr. I, 2, 39; R2 V, 4, 1; H6A III, 4, 31; H6B I, 3, 200; R3 III, 7, 24; H8 II, 4, 153; Tit. I, 359; Caes. IV, 2, 33; Lr. III, 4, 91. “to s. dout, when he should say doubt,” LLL V, 1, 22. “vows in number more than ever women spoke,” Mids. I, 1, 176. “after some oration fairly spoke by a beloved prince,” Merch. III, 2, 180. “s. your office,” Tw. I, 5, 223. “but spoke the harm that is by others done,” John III, 1, 39. “God s. this Amen,” H5 V, 2, 396. “now we three have spoke it, it skills not greatly who impugns our doom,” H6B III, 1, 280. “and more he would have said, and more he spoke, . . . that mought not be distinguished,” H6C V, 2, 43. “every syllable that here was spoke,” Troil. V, 2, 117. “s. out the rest,” Hml. II, 2, 545. “s. out thy sorrows,” Per. I, 4, 58 etc. == to recite, as opposed to singing: “we'll s. it, then,” Cymb. IV, 2, 242. Peculiar expressions: “he --s holiday,” Wiv. III, 2, 69 (festival terms). “she --s poniards,” Ado II, 1, 255; cf. “I will s. daggers to her, but use none,” Hml. III, 2, 414. “to s. all mirth and no matter,” Ado II, 1, 343. “s. sad brow and true maid,” As III, 2, 226 (== what becomes a grave and honest maid. Some M. Edd. s., sad brow. cf. Ado I, 1, 185). “he --s nothing but madman,” Tw. I, 5, 115. “he --s plain cannon fire,” John II, 462. “s. treason,” R2 V, 3, 44. R3 I, 1, 90. “I s. to thee plain soldier,” H5 V, 2, 156. “there's no leprosy but what thou --est,” Tim. IV, 3, 367. “s. parrot,” Oth. II, 3, 281.
4) to talk or converse in, to use or to be able to use as one's language: “the best of them that s. this speech,” Tp. I, 2, 429. Tp. I, 2, 429 “s. the former language,” Meas. II, 4, 140. “--s three languages,” Tw. I, 3, 27. Wint. III, 2, 81. H4A II, 4, 26. III, 1, 49. III, 1, 49 H5 V, 2, 196. H6B IV, 7, 63. H8 I, 4, 57. 65 etc.
5) to convey in words, to express, to talk of: “if you s. love,” Ado II, 1, 103. “men can counsel and s. comfort to that grief which they not feel,” V, 1, 21. “to s. patience,” V, 1, 21 there thou --est reason, 41; cf. Wiv. II, 1, 129. “it is my father's music to s. your deeds,” Wint. IV, 4, 530. “spoke your deservings like a chronicle,” H4A V, 2, 58. “may it please your highness to hear me s. his good now?” H8 IV, 2, 47. “Christendom shall ever s. his virtue,” H8 IV, 2, 47 “not to s. it profanely,” Hml. III, 2, 34. “if thy rare qualities . . . could s. thee out,” H8 II, 4, 140. “let me s. myself,” III, 1, 125. “thus far give me leave to s. him, and yet with charity,” IV, 2, 32. “I s. my good lord cardinal to this point, and thus far clear him,” II, 4, 166. “I cannot s. him home,” Cor. II, 2, 107. “you s. him far,” Cymb. I, 1, 24.
6) to say: “the truth you s. doth lack some gentleness,” Tp. II, 1, 137. “'twere false, if I should s. it,” Gent. IV, 2, 107. “it is spoke in hate,” III, 2, 34. “it must with circumstance be spoken,” III, 2, 34 “s. the truth by her,” II, 4, 151 (cf. By). “I'll s. it before the best lord,” Wiv. III, 3, 53. “if it be honest you have spoke,” Meas. III, 2, 166. “what you have spoke I pardon,” V, 366. “I spoke it but according to the trick,” V, 366 “you s. this to fetch me in,” Ado I, 1, 225. Ado I, 1, 225 “I have for barbarism spoke more,” LLL I, 1, 112. vice (not virtue) “you should have spoke,” V, 2, 349. “thou --est it well,” Merch. II, 2, 161 (== well said). “I have spoke thus much,” IV, 1, 202. “you never spoke what did become you less,” Wint. I, 2, 282. V, 1, 21. “to lengthen out the worst that must be spoken,” R2 III, 2, 199. “I heard thee say, and vauntingly thou spakest it,” IV, 36. “under the correction of bragging be it spoken,” H5 V, 2, 144. “things are often spoke and seldom meant,” H6B III, 1, 268. “who spake aloud: what scourge for perjury . . .,” R3 I, 4, 50 (Qq cried). “but nothing spake in warrant from himself,” III, 7, 33 (Ff spoke). “this is about that which the bishop spake,” H8 V, 1, 84. “repent what you have spoke,” Cor. III, 2, 37. “what I spake, I spake it to my face,” Rom. IV, 1, 34. “what he spake was not like madness,” Hml. III, 1, 171. “I dare s. it to myself,” Cymb. IV, 1, 7 etc. “I s. my thought,” Ado I, 1, 226. Ado I, 1, 226 Ado I, 1, 226 “I will s. my conscience,” H5 IV, 1, 123. H6B III, 1, 68. “s. his very heart,” Wint. IV, 4, 575. Mcb. I, 3, 154. “to s. your bosom freely,” Oth. III, 1, 58. “dare not s. their knowledge,” Ant. IV, 12, 6. (cf. Mind). “your lordship --s your pleasure,” Tim. III, 1, 35 (German: es beliebt Euer Gnaden so zu sagen. cf. Pleasure). “'tis dangerous to be spoken,” Lr. III, 3, 11.
7) to tell, to report, to communicate: “to s. my griefs unspeakable,” Err. I, 1, 33. “they have spoken untruths,” Ado V, 1, 220. “s. it privately,” Merch. II, 4, 21. “I have spoke the truth,” All's V, 3, 230. “if she be so abandoned to her sorrow as it is spoke,” Tw. I, 4, 20. “when I spake darkly what I purposed,” John IV, 2, 232. “whoever spoke it, it is true,” V, 5, 19. “s. plainly your opinions,” H4B I, 3, 3. “who hath not heard it spoken how deep you were within the books of God,” IV, 2, 16. “s. it to us,” H8 IV, 1, 61. “I heard a senator s. it,” Cor. I, 3, 107. “there's wondrous things spoke of him,” II, 1, 152. “and 'tis spoken, to the succeeding royalty he leaves the healing benediction,” Mcb. IV, 3, 154. “s. your griefs” Caes. IV, 2, 42. 3, 281. “I cannot s. any beginning to this peevish odds,” Oth. II, 3, 184. “did I but s. thy deeds,” IV, 2, 76. “even but now he spake, after long seeming dead, Iago hurt him,” V, 2, 327. “from what cause, he will by no means s.” Hml. III, 1, 6. so far as thou wilt s. it (thy story) Cymb. III, 6, 93 etc.
8) to make itself felt and call up to action: “therein you can never be too noble, but when extremities s.” Cor. III, 2, 41. “if his fitness --s, mine is ready,” Hml. V, 2, 209. “the shame itself doth s. for instant remedy,” Lr. I, 4, 267. “such time that --s as loud as his own state and ours,” Ant. I, 4, 29. “the present need --s to atone you,” II, 2, 102. With an obj. (accus. or dative?): “the occasion --s thee,” Tp. II, 1, 207 (summons thee, calls thee up).
9) to give sound: “beat thou the drum, that it s. mournfully,” Cor. V, 6, 151. “make all our trumpets s.” Mcb. V, 6, 9. let the kettle to the trumpet s. etc. Hml. V, 2, 286. “trumpets, s.!” Lr. V, 3, 150. “the wind hath spoke aloud at land,” Oth. II, 1, 5. since death of my dearest mother it (the instrument) “did not s. before,” Cymb. IV, 2, 191. cf. “I can sing and s. to him in many sorts of music,” Tw. I, 2, 58.
Spoken, adjectively, == speaking, having a language: “methinks you're better spoken,” Lr. IV, 6, 10. cf. Foul-spoken, Well-spoken.