vbl. sb. [f. prec.]
1. The action of making or delivering speeches; the practice of oratory.
1723. Briton, No. 19 (1724), 84. He has an excellent Talent at Speechifying.
1762. Foote, Orator, I. Wks. 1799, I. 193. ’Tis all brought about by his speechifying.
1812. Byron, Ch. Har., II. xii. note. Their little absurdities are as harmless as … maiden speechifying.
1849. C. Brontë, Shirley, xvi. Then came the feast, and afterwards the meeting, with music and speechifying in the church.
1884. Chr. Commonw., 23 Oct., 20/3. The immense volume of speechifying during the recess, on both sides.
b. The action of speaking or talking, esp. in a formal manner or at excessive length.
1777. Mme. D’Arblay, Early Diary (1889), II. 193. Richard,… alter fine speechyfying, walked off.
1782. Eliz. Blower, Geo. Bateman, I. 21. I could stand and hear you talk all day long; to be sure you have a vast fine knack at speechifying.
1853. Miss Yonge, Heir of Redclyffe, xxv. Come, what’s past can’t be helped, and I have no end of work to be done, so there’s speechifying enough for once.
1887. P. M‘Neill, Blawearie, 131. ‘No more speechifying, Morris,’ shouted the overseer. ‘Let us haste to the rescue.’
2. An instance or occasion of public speaking.
1843. F. E. Paget, Warden of Berkingholt, 77. Nothing is to be done without platforms, and meetings, and speechifyings.
1852. H. Newland, Lect. Tractar., 28. The meetings and the speechifyings and the hard words.
1894. Brit. Jrnl. Photog., XLI. 91. A demonstration, a feasting, a speechifying, and a concert all rolled into one.
