Bespeak
to ask for in advance:
to bespeak the reader’s patience.
to reserve beforehand; engage in advance; make arrangements for:
to bespeak a seat in a theater.
Literary. to speak to; address.
to show; indicate:
This bespeaks a kindly heart.
Obsolete. to foretell; forebode.
Historical Examples
Permit me most earnestly to bespeak this confidence, as we pursue our investigations in respect to the Will.
Doctrine of the Will Asa Mahan
I hate to tell you, but as I wish to bespeak your kind offices, I must do so.
The Strange Adventures of Mr. Middleton Wardon Allan Curtis
It is one which would follow that of your public life and bespeak it the work of the same great hand.
Life And Times Of Washington, Volume 2 John Frederick Schroeder
The reply of Ossaroo did not bespeak any very sanguine hope on his part.
The Cliff Climbers Captain Mayne Reid
Please to bespeak something else; I have everything in the house.
The Beaux-Stratagem George Farquhar
The colour of his skin, with the moustache, bespeak him a white man, and not an Indian.
The Lone Ranche Captain Mayne Reid
In surrendering myself and those under my command, I bespeak for the others an immunity from all vexatious detention.
Horse-Shoe Robinson John Pendleton Kennedy
Was there one, even one, whose counsel he could ask, or whose assistance he could bespeak?
One Of Them Charles James Lever
The Colonel is a fine man for County Judge, and we bespeak for him the suffrages of every voter who wants an honest judiciary.
The Boss of Little Arcady Harry Leon Wilson
They bespeak more than concerns the interests of our country.
Fiesco or, The Genoese Conspiracy Friedrich Schiller
verb (transitive) -speaks, -speaking, -spoke, -spoken, -spoke
to engage, request, or ask for in advance
to indicate or suggest: this act bespeaks kindness
(poetic) to speak to; address
(archaic) to foretell
v.
Old English besprecan “speak about, speak against, complain,” from be- + sprecan “to speak” (see speak). A common Germanic compound (cf. Old Saxon bisprecan, Dutch bespreken, Old High German bisprehhan, German besprechen); originally “to call out,” it evolved a wide range of meaning in English, including “speak up,” “oppose,” “request,” “discuss, “arrange,” and “to order (goods)” (1580s).
The connection of the senses is very loose; some of them appear to have arisen quite independently of each other from different applications of BE- pref. [OED]
Read Also:
- Bespeckle
to speckle. v. c.1600, from be- + speckle. Related: Bespeckled; bespeckling.
- Bespoke
a simple past tense and past participle of bespeak. British. (of clothes) made to individual order; custom-made: a bespoke jacket. making or selling such clothes: a bespoke tailor. Older Use. engaged to be married; spoken for. to ask for in advance: to bespeak the reader’s patience. to reserve beforehand; engage in advance; make arrangements for: […]
- Bespoken
a past participle of bespeak. bespoke. to ask for in advance: to bespeak the reader’s patience. to reserve beforehand; engage in advance; make arrangements for: to bespeak a seat in a theater. Literary. to speak to; address. to show; indicate: This bespeaks a kindly heart. Obsolete. to foretell; forebode. Contemporary Examples “When you’re a smaller […]
- Bespread
to spread over (a surface); cover (usually followed by with): a table bespread with fine linens. Historical Examples He got out the box of ointment and bespread the strips of torn handkerchief. The Magnetic North Elizabeth Robins (C. E. Raimond) The greater part of my way lay near the sea shore, which was bespread with […]
- Besprent
besprinkled; bestrewn. Historical Examples And he rode a great white mare, whose bases and other housings were black, but all besprent with fair lilys of silver sheen. Phantastes George MacDonald What beckoning ghost, besprent with April dew, Hails me so solemnly to yonder yew? Hearts of Controversy Alice Meynell The books at Saint-Cyr were stamped […]