speech
the act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience
How often you will meet it
Rank 847 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 21,587 times across 155,139 chapters — 0.010% of every word in the library.
It belongs to the first 1,000 words, the band worth learning before any other.
What it means
noun
- the act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience also: address he listened to an address on minor Roman poets
- (language) communication by word of mouth also: speech communication, spoken communication, spoken language, language, voice communication, oral communication his speech was garbledhe uttered harsh language
- something spoken he could hear them uttering merry speeches
- the exchange of spoken words they were perfectly comfortable together without speech
- your characteristic style or manner of expressing yourself orally also: manner of speaking, delivery his manner of speaking was quite abrupther speech was barren of southernisms
- a lengthy rebuke also: lecture, talking to a good lecture was my father's idea of disciplinethe teacher gave him a talking to
speech in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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The king was surprised at this speech but not angry.
An Egyptian Princess — Volume 07 · Georg Ebers · Chapter 1
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John could not interpret this speech, save in its obvious meaning.
The Hill: A Romance of Friendship · Horace Annesley Vachell · Chapter 1
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I wanted to tell you of my contentment, but being slow of speech I--couldn't.
The Courage of the Commonplace · Mary Raymond Shipman Andrews · Chapter 1
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His strongest outward characteristic was quietness, both of manner, speech, motions, springing, it appeared, out of a corresponding quietness of soul.
Christian's Mistake · Dinah Maria Mulock Craik · Chapter 1
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There was force in the stern self-repression of his speech, in the curve of his lips, the clear lightning of his eyes.
The Betrayal · E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim · Chapter 1