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eak or utter rhetorically; to deliver; to recite; as, to pronounce an oration. Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to you. Shak.

d predicate united by a copula; a thought expressed or propounded in language; a from of speech in which a predicate is affirmed or denied of a subject; as, snow is white.

Peevishness; petulance. [Obs.] Fuller.

One who makes much use of proverbs in speech or writing; one who composes, collects, or studies proverbs.

The person who is substituted or deputed to act or vote for another. Every peer . . . may make another lord of parliament his proxy, to vote for him in his absence. Blackstone.

ho is overscrupulous or sensitive; one who affects extraordinary prudence in conduct and speech. Less modest than the speech of prudes. Swift.

The quality or state of being prudish; excessive or affected scrupulousness in speech or conduct; stiffness; coyness. Cowper.

ate of being prurient. The pruriency of curious ears. Burke. There is a prurience in the speech of some. Cowper.

To peep narrowly; to gaze; to inspect closely; to attempt to discover something by a scrutinizing curiosity; -- often implying reproach. " To pry upon the stars." Chaucer. Watch thou and wake when others be asleep, To pry into the secrets of the state. Shak.

Falsehood of speech. Arbuthnot.

petty. A puny subject strikes at thy great glory. Shak. Breezes laugh to scorn our puny speed. Keble.

Talk; conversation; speech; speech.[Obs.] Shak. In question, in debate; in the course of examination or discussion; as, the matter or point in question. -- Leading question. See under Leading. -- Out of question, unquestionably. "Out of question, 't is Maria's hand." Shak. -- Out of the question. See under Out. --…

Speedy; hasty; swift; not slow; as, be quick Oft he her his charge of quick return Repeated. Milton.

en; to accelerate; as, to quicken one's steps or thoughts; to quicken one's departure or speed.

Speedily; with haste or celerity; soon; without delay; quick.

Activity; briskness; especially, rapidity of motion; speed; celerity; as, quickness of wit. This deed . . . must send thee hence With fiery quickness. Shak. His mind had, indeed, great quickness and vigor. Macaulay.

To peer at; to eye suspiciously or mockingly.

Hence: The act or process of running in competition; a contest of speed in any way, as in running, riding, driving, skating, rowing, sailing; in the plural, usually, a meeting for contests in the running of horses; as, he attended the races. The race is not to the swift. Eccl. ix. 11. I wield the gauntlet, and I run th…

Having a saucy appearance indicative of speed and dash. Ham. Nav. Encyc.

Advancing with haste or speed; speedy in progression; in quick sequence; as, rapid growth; rapid improvement; rapid recurrence; rapid succession.