(1)说(讲，谈)话;交谈(utter words;express oneself in words;talk)[I，I+prep (to/with)/(about/of)]：Please～more distinctly/slowly. 请讲得更清楚/慢一些。～with an Italian accent 讲话有意大利口音;“May I～to John?”“This is John～ing.” “可以请约翰接电话吗?” “我就是。”～to sb with tenderness/very loudly 温柔/非常大声地对某人讲;～with sb for a moment与某人谈了一会儿;～about one's war experiences/the weather 谈论自己战时的经历/天气;～of one's war experiences/retiring at the end of the year/one's student days in Germany 谈(提)到自己战时的经历/年底退休的事/自己在德国做学生的日子;～to/with the teacher about one's study plan 和老师谈自己的学习计划;〖同〗talk;

(2)讲(某种言语)，说(某种话)(know and be able to talk in (a language))[T+n][不用prog]：Do you～French? 你讲法语吗?I can～a little German/several languages. 我会讲一点点法语/几种语言。No English is spoken here. 这里不使用英语。need an English-～ing secretary 需要一名会讲英语的秘书;

(3)演讲(说)(make a speech)[I，I+prep(on/about)]：～at the meeting/at the rally/before the United Nations 在会上/群众大会上/联合国大会上作演讲;be good at～ing in public 擅长当众演说;～from a few notes 凭几条提纲讲演;～on any subject one wants 想讲什么题目就讲什么题目;～on the early development of printing/the effects of alcohol on the heart 就印刷的早期发展/酒精对心脏的影响发表演讲;～to the club about one's experiences in Central America 就自己在中美洲的经历对俱乐部成员发表演说;〖同〗lecture;

(4)说(讲)出(明)(tell or make known)[T+n]：～what is in one's heart/one's mind 说出自己的心事/想法;～one's fears 说出自己的恐惧;～the truth 说实话;He was hardly able to～a word. 他几乎一句话也讲不出来。〖同〗express，say，tell，state，declare;〖反〗hide，conceal;

(5)交往，招呼(communicate;greet)[I，I+pr(to/with)][通常用 neg](infml)：They haven't spoken for years. 他们已经多年互不理睬了。 They are not～ing (to each other) after their fight/their argument/their quarrel. 争斗/争论/争吵之后他们彼此不再说话了。

be on speaking terms (with sb) 1)与某人熟到可以交谈的程度：She sees him on the train every day but they're not on～ing terms. 她每天都和他在火车上见面，但他们还没有熟到可以交谈的地步。2)保持友好或客气的关系(尤指在争论后愿意说话)：I'm not on～ing terms with him. 我和他不讲话。

not to speak of/no something to speak of 谈不上：He has not had any house to～of. 他一直还没有像样的房子。

so to speak 可以说：He is，so to～，an upstart. 可以说他是个暴发户。

speak for itself/themselves 不说自明;不言而喻：The photograph～s for itself. 照片本身就说明问题。

speak for oneself 以自己的方式说明个人见解：He can～for himself. 他能自己把话说清楚。

speak ill of sb 说(别人)坏话(fml)：Don't～ill of others. 不要说别人的坏话。

speak well/ill for 证明……很好/有问题：The beautiful picture～s well for his skill as an artist. 这幅漂亮的画证明了他作为画家的技艺不错。Who robbed the cookie jar? The crumbs on your shirt～s ill for you，Billy. 谁拿了罐里的饼干? 比利，你衬衫上的饼干屑说明你有问题。

speak for (v prep) 1)代表……讲话，说出……意见(vt，无pass)：You must choose one person to～for the whole group. 你必须挑选一人代表全组讲话。2)为…… 辩护(作证)(vt，无pass)：Who～s for the prisoner? 谁为那犯人辩护?

speak of (v prep) 1)表(证)明(vt)：His face spoke of suffering. 他的脸表明他经受过痛苦。

speak out (against) (v adv)公然反对(vi)：No one dared to～out against the new law. 没人敢于公然反对新法律。

speak to (v prep) 1)斥责(vt)：I'll～to that boy the moment he gets in. 那孩子一进来，我就要说说他。2)就 …… 谈谈意见(vt)(fml)：I'll～to that point later. 我在后面还要谈到那一点。

speak up (v adv)大声地说(vi)：The judge asked the witness to～up. 法官要证人大声说话。

speak up for (v adv prep)明确表态支持 (vt)：Willie spoke up for James as club president. 威利发言支持詹姆斯担任俱乐部主席。

→′speaker n 演讲(说)者;发言人;扬声器;讲某种语言的人;the Speaker (英国下议院或其他议院的)议长;′speak-easy n 非法卖酒的场所(尤指美国禁酒时期);speech n;

【辨异】speak 和 talk、tell 和say 的区别见SAY。