spi:tʃ n. 1
the faculty or
act of
speaking. 2 a
formal public address. 3 a
manner of speaking (a
man of
blunt speech). 4 a
remark (after
this speech he
was silent). 5 the
language of a
nation,
region,
group, etc. 6 Mus. the act of
sounding in an organ-pipe etc. øthe Queen's (or King's) Speech a
statement including the Government's proposed measures
read by the
sovereign at the
opening of
Parliament. speech
day Brit. an
annual prize-giving day in
many schools, usu.
marked by speeches etc. speech-reading lip-reading. speech therapist a
person who practises speech
therapy. speech therapy
treatment to
improve defective speech. speech-writer a person employed to
write speeches
for a
politician etc. to
deliver. øøspeechful adj. [OE spróc, later spec f. WG, rel. to SPEAK]