Meaning

(transitive, formal or archaic) To speak about; tell of; relate; discuss..

Definitions by Sense

1. (transitive, formal or archaic) To speak about; tell of; relate; discuss.
2. (transitive) To speak for beforehand; engage in advance; make arrangements for; order or reserve in advance.
3. (transitive) To stipulate, solicit, ask for, or request, as in a favour.
4. (transitive, archaic) To forbode; foretell.
5. (transitive, archaic, poetic) To speak to; address.
6. (transitive) To betoken; show; indicate; depict; foretell; suggest; allude to.
7. (intransitive) To speak up or out; exclaim; speak.
8. (archaic) A request for a specific performance; a benefit performance, by a patron.

Example Sentences

[They] bespoke dangers […] in order to scare the allies.

concluding, naturally, that to gratify his avarice was to bespeak his favour

I walked on into the village, with the desertion of this house upon my mind, and I found the landlord of the little inn, sanding his door-step. I bespoke breakfast, and broached the subject of the house.

to bespeak a calm hearing

I bespeak your patience in advance.

Then ſtaring on her with a ghaſtly Look, / And hollow Voice, he thus the Queen beſpoke.

Spurring his horse, he galloped down to the shore and bespoke them.

This act bespeaks his kindness.

Word Forms

• bespeaks
• bespeaking
• bespoke
• bespake
• bespoken

Synonyms for bespeak

Related Words

When Should You Use Bespeak?

Use bespeak when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

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