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ation, or preliminary; previously; aforetime. They may be taught beforehand the skill of speaking. Hooker.

A bespeaking. Among actors, a benefit (when a particular play is bespoken.) "The night of her bespeak." Dickens.

Having two tongues, or speaking two languages. [Obs.]

Speaking or writing blasphemy; uttering or exhibiting anything impiously irreverent; profane; as, a blasphemous person; containing blasphemy; as, a blasphemous book; a blasphemous caricature. "Blasphemous publications." Porteus. Nor from the Holy One of Heaven Refrained his tongue blasphemous. Milton.…

r signs; impiously irreverent words or signs addressed to, or used in reference to, God; speaking evil of God; also, the act of claiming the attributes or prerogatives of deity.

The act of glorying or vaunting; vainglorious speaking; ostentatious display. When boasting ends, then dignity begins. Young.

A brief and pertinent mode of speaking. [R.]

ean persons in the accouterments of heroes, the other describes great persons acting and speaking like the basest among the people. Addison.

fairs of others; a meddling person. And not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. 1 Tim. v. 13.

Bad speaking; bad choice or use of words. Buchanan.

A fall of the voice in reading or speaking, especially at the end of a sentence.

according to European nationalities, and to appoint bishops and priests of like race and speaking the same language as the majority of the members of a diocese or congregation. This plan was successfully opposed by the American party in the Church.

An affected, singsong mode of speaking.

Speaking in a whining tone of voice; using technical or religious terms affectedly; affectedly pious; as, a canting rogue; a canting tone. - Cant"ing*ly, adv. -- Cant"ing*ness, n. Canting arms, Canting heraldry (Her.), bearings in the nature of a rebus alluding to the name of the bearer. Thus, the Castletons bear thre…

ced; far-fatched. -- Cat`a*chres"tic*al*ly, adv. [A] catachrestical and improper way of speaking. Jer. Taylor.

ng; to suffer punishment. [Colloq.] -- To catch one's eye, to interrupt captiously while speaking. [Colloq.] "You catch me up so very short." Dickens. -- To catch up, to snatch; to take up suddenly.

Twang; manner of speaking; a canting tone. [R.] His strange face, his strange chant. Macaulay. Ambrosian chant, See under Ambrosian. Chant royal Etym: [F.], in old French poetry, a poem containing five strophes of eleven lines each, and a concluding stanza. -- each of these six parts ending with a common refrain. --…

A miraculously given power, as of healing, speaking foreign languages without instruction, etc., attributed to some of the early Christians.

Speaking and repeating loud words; full of clamor; calling or demanding loudly or urgently; vociferous; noisy; bawling; loud; turbulent. "My young ones were clamorous for a morning's excursion." Southey. -- Clam"or*ous*ly, adv. -- Clam"or*ous*ness, n.

Cautious in speaking; secret; wary; uncommunicative.