Definitions for: Bespeak


[v] express the need or desire for; ask for; "She requested an extra bed in her room"; "She called for room service"
[v] be a signal for or a symptom of; "These symptoms indicate a serious illness"; "Her behavior points to a severe neurosis"; "The economic indicators signal that the euro is undervalued"



Webster (1913) Definition: 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.


Be*speak", v. i.
To speak. [Obs.] --Milton.


Be*speak", n.
A bespeaking. Among actors, a benefit (when a particular play
is bespoken.) ``The night of her bespeak.'' --Dickens.

Synonyms: betoken, call for, indicate, point, quest, request, signal

See Also: appeal, apply, arrogate, ask, ask in, ask out, ask over, ask round, augur, auspicate, beg, beg off, bode, book, call, challenge, claim, communicate, demand, desire, encore, excuse, forecast, foreshadow, foretell, hold, invite out, invoke, lay claim, mark, omen, order, pass, pass on, petition, portend, predict, prefigure, presage, prognosticate, put across, reserve, solicit, supplicate, take out, tap, tell

Try our:
Scrabble Word Finder

Scrabble Cheat

Words With Friends Cheat

Hanging With Friends Cheat

Scramble With Friends Cheat

Ruzzle Cheat



Related Resources:
animlas that start with c
animlas that start with s