Be*speak" (?), v. t. [imp. Bespoke (?), Bespake (Archaic); p. p. Bespoke, Bespoken (); p. pr. & vb. n. Bespeaking.] [OE. bispeken, AS. besprecan, to speak to, accuse; pref. be- + sprecan to speak. See Speak.]

1.

To speak or arrange for beforehand; to order or engage against a future time; as, to bespeak goods, a right, or a favor.

Concluding, naturally, that to gratify his avarice was to bespeak his favor. Sir W. Scott.

2.

To show beforehand; to foretell; to indicate.

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

3.

To betoken; to show; to indicate by external marks or appearances.

When the abbot of St. Martin was born, he had so little the figure of a man that it bespoke him rather a monster. Locke.

4.

To speak to; to address.

[Poetic]

He thus the queen bespoke. Dryden.

 

© Webster 1913.


Be*speak", v. i.

To speak.

[Obs.]

Milton.

 

© Webster 1913.


Be*speak", n.

A bespeaking. Among actors, a benefit (when a particular play is bespoken.)

"The night of her bespeak."

Dickens.

 

© Webster 1913.

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