Chiefly Sc. and north. Forms: 3–5 speke (4 spece), 4–5 spek, 5 Sc. speike (9 speik), 6–7 speake, 8– speak. [Partly the northern form of ME. spēche (OE. spǽc, sprǽc) SPEECH sb.1; partly, in later use, f. SPEAK v.
In Laȝamon 1971, Owl & N. 13, and Rob. Glouc. 8535, 8643, the forms speke and spek have obviously been miswritten for spech(e through being mistaken for parts of the verb.]
† 1. The action of speaking; also, manner of speaking. Obs.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 13260. He sermund wit his loueli spek.
c. 1300. Havelok, 946. Of alle men was he mest meke, Lauhwinde ay, and bliþe of speke.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, I. 393. In spek wlispyt he sum deill.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xxvii. (Machor), 1164. With þis of spek he mad ending.
c. 1450. Holland, Howlat, 242. All apperit to the Pape,… Salust his sanctitud with spirituale speike.
† b. The power or faculty of speech. Obs.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 24320. Als ded þai war, wit-vten speke.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, Prol. 122. As to deff men gyfand herynge,… and spek till oþer at war dum.
† c. A language. Obs.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 2267. Þar war al þe speces delt Þat now ouer-alle þe werld er melt.
2. Talk, discourse, conversation.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 2618. Wit hir sli spece gun he spell.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, ii. (Paul), 301. With wismen þare-of [Nero] had spek.
1886. Willock, Rosetty Ends, xii. (1887), 88. The affair caused a hantle o’ speak.
b. With a, the, this, etc., or possessive pronouns.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 12197. Ihesus þan folud on his speke, And þus began his resun eke.
c. 1300. Havelok, 1065. Þoruth England yede þe speke [MS. speche], Hw he was strong, and ek meke.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, I. 72. Thai all concordyt, That all thar spek suld be recordyt Till Schyr Eduuard.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 3318. With þis speke at he spake þe sprete he ȝeldis.
a. 1779. D. Graham, Writ. (1883), II. 209. I maun hae … a quiet speak to hersel about it.
1790. Shirrefs, Poems, 247. Only foes to common sense Frae sic a speak can tak’ offence.
1819. W. Tennant, Papistry Storm’d (1827), 5. Notin’ down within thy book Ilk motion, gesture, speik, and look.
1883–. in dial. glossaries, etc. (Yks., Westmld., Linc., Berks.).
† c. A great speak, an important statement. Obs.
1587. Golding, De Mornay, xxiv. (1596), 366. They thinke themselues to haue made a greate speake, and hard to be resolued.
3. A formal discourse; a speech.
1567. Drant, Horace, Ep., Arte Poet., A vij. A solemne speake, mete for great things.
1576. Pettie, Petite Pallace, 89 b. Before hym Aristotle … maketh a great speake, saying [etc.].
1600. O. E., Repl. to Libel, I. i. 9. Nor doth he applie his common place to his purpose, but leaueth it … without any coherence to the rest of his long speake.
1610. R. Davies, in Chester’s Triumph (Chetham Soc.), C 3 b. Is it not harsh to heare a Marmeset squeake Vpon a stage a most vnioynted speake?
1791. J. Learmont, Poems, 30. Their unco speaks o’ sax hours lang.
4. Cant. (See quot.) Obs.–0
1812. J. H. Vaux, Flash Dict., Speak, committing any robbery, is called making a speak; and if it has been productive, you are said to have made a rum speak.
