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One who speaks; a speaker. "A potent voice of Parliament." Tennyson.

An oath administered to a witness, usually before being sworn in chief, requiring him to speak the truth, or make true answers in reference to matters inquired of, to ascertain his competency to give evidence. Greenleaf. Ld. Abinger.

Moving with ease and smoothness in uttering words; of rapid speech; nimble in speaking; glib; as, a flippant, voluble, tongue. [Cassio,] a knave very voluble. Shak.

e of pack thread in his hand, which he used to twist about a finger all the while he was speaking; the wags used to call it the thread of his discourse. Addison.

ow with the eye; to watch. [R.] "It is a point of cunning to wait upon him with whom you speak with your eye." Bacon. (e) To attend to; to perform. "Aaron and his sons . . . shallwait on their priest's office." Num. iii. 10. (f) (Falconry) To fly above its master, waiting till game is sprung; -- said of a hawk. Encyc.…

ed of; to wish or long for; to desire; to crave. " What wants my son" Addison. I want to speak to you about something. A. Trollope.

To become ardent or animated; as, the speakewarms as he proceeds.

the wind. Ld. Berners. Thou wouldst waver on one of these trees as a terror to all evil speakers against dignities. Sir W. Scott.

ural nominative case of the pronoun of the first person; the word with which a person in speaking or writing denotes a number or company of which he is one, as the subject of an action expressed by a verb.

weighed The strength he was to cope with, or his own. Milton. Regard not who it is which speaketh, but weigh only what is spoken. Hooker. In nice balance, truth with gold she weighs. Pope. Without sufficiently weighing his expressions. Sir W. Scott.

l to you." Dryden. Know In measure what the mind may well contain. Milton. All the world speaks well of you. Pope.

Speaking well; speaking with fitness or grace; speaking kindly. "A knight well-spoken." Shak.

To speak softly, or under the breath, so as to be heard only by one near at hand; to utter words without sonant breath; to talk without that vibration in the larynx which gives sonorous, or vocal, sound. See Whisper, n.

Not speaking; not making a noise; silent; mute; still; quiet. "So whist and dead a silence." Sir J. Harrington. The winds, with wonder whist, Smoothly the waters kissed. Milton.

ll or seek to harm. Milton. Turn the discourse; I have a reason why I would not have you speak so tenderly. Dryden.

n in the porch he him did win. Spenser. And when the stony path began, By which the naked peak they wan, Up flew the snowy ptarmigan. Sir W. Scott.

as from a blow, or from pain; to flinch; to start back. I will not stir, nor wince, nor speak a word. Shak.

and the best means; discernment and judgment; discretion; sagacity; skill; dexterity. We speak also not in wise words of man's wisdom, but in the doctrine of the spirit. Wyclif (1 Cor. ii. 13). Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding. Job xxviii. 28. It is hoped that our r…

s. or Scot.] Spenser. Though that I be jealous, wite me not. Chaucer. There if that I misspeak or say, Wite it the ale of Southwark, I you pray. Chaucer.

er point on which I offer a word of remark. Dickens. By word of mouth, orally; by actual speaking. Boyle. -- Compound word. See under Compound, a. -- Good word, commendation; favorable account. "And gave the harmless fellow a good word." Pope. -- In a word, briefly; to sum up. -- In word, in declaration; in profess…