Meaning

(intransitive or transitive, rare) To speak; to say; to utter..

Definitions by Sense

1. (intransitive or transitive, rare) To speak; to say; to utter.
2. (philosophy, pragmatics, intransitive or transitive with the utterance as object) To utter a meaningful sentence; to perform a locutionary act.

Example Sentences

And 'tis strange that Reverend Body shou'd not find out in several Years, that he who cannot Locute will never Prolocute well.

[…]and P. Bateson ("Behavioural development and evolutionary processes") pointedly locutes what R. Dawkins ("Replicators and vehicles") only circumlocutes—that he (Dawkins) has wisely changed his language to clarify the fact that the direct action of selection is on phenotypes, not genes.

"God's a pervert[…]" He locutes with double rows of gold teeth, in the bland guise of an argument.

The translator locutes propositions, but illocutes nothing at all.

By contrast, for Grice, one who for instance speaks ironically makes as if to illocute, rather than making as if to locute.

Word Forms

• locutes
• locuting
• locuted

When Should You Use Locute?

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

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