speak /spiːk/ CET4 TEM4 ( speaking, spoke, spoken, speaks )

• 1. 

  V-I When you speak, you use your voice in order to say something. 说话

  例：

  He tried to speak, but for once, his voice had left him.

  他试图说话，但这一次，他已说不出声。

  例：

  I rang the hotel and spoke to Louie.

  我打电话给宾馆，跟路易通了话。

  例：

  She cried when she spoke of Oliver.

  她提起奥利弗时哭了。

• 2. 

  spoken ADJ 口头的 [ADJ n]

  例：

  ...a marked decline in the standards of written and spoken English.

  …书面和口头英语标准的明显下降。

• 3. 

  V-I When someone speaks to a group of people, they make a speech. 演讲; 发言

  例：

  When speaking to the seminar Mr. Franklin spoke of his experience, gained on a recent visit to Trinidad.

  在研讨会上发言时，富兰克林先生谈到了他最近一次在特立尼达访问时所获得的经验。

  例：

  He's determined to speak at the Democratic Convention.

  他决心在民主党大会上发言。

• 4. 

  V-I If you speak for a group of people, you make their views and demands known, or represent them. 为…说话; 代表…发言

  例：

  He said it was the job of the Church to speak for the underprivileged.

  他说为弱势群体说话是教会的职责。

  例：

  I speak for all 7,000 members of our organization.

  我代表我们组织的全体7000名成员发言。

• 5. 

  V-T If you speak a foreign language, you know the language and are able to have a conversation in it. 说 (某种语言)

  例：

  He doesn't speak English.

  他不说英语。

• 6. 

  V-I People sometimes mention something that has been written by saying what the author speaks of. 谈及

  例：

  Throughout the book Liu speaks of the abuse of Party power.

  刘在全书中都谈到党权的滥用。

• 7. 

  V-RECIP If two people are not speaking, they no longer talk to each other because they have argued. (吵架之后) 相互说话 [with neg]

  例：

  He is not speaking to his mother because of her friendship with his ex-wife.

  他因母亲跟其前妻的友谊而不跟母亲说话了。

• 8. 

  V-I If you say that something speaks for itself, you mean that its meaning or quality is so obvious that it does not need explaining or pointing out. (自己) 会说话; (本身) 能说明问题 [no cont]

  例：

  ...the figures speak for themselves – bleak prospects at home and a worsening outlook for exports.

  …这些数字本身就能说明问题–国内暗淡的前景和日益糟糕的出口展望。

• 9. 

  PHRASE If a person or thing is spoken for or has been spoken for, someone has claimed them or asked for them, so no one else can have them. 已有人认领的; 已有人请求过的

  例：

  She'd probably drop some comment about her "fiancé" into the conversation so that he'd think she was already spoken for.

  她很可能会在交谈中故意提到她的“未婚夫”，这样他就会知道她已名花有主了。

• 10. 

  PHRASE If you speak well of someone or speak highly of someone, you say good things about them. If you speak ill of someone, you criticize them. 说某人好话/坏话

  例：

  Both spoke highly of the Russian president.

  双方都高度评价了那位俄罗斯总统。

• 11. 

  PHRASE You use so to speak to draw attention to the fact that you are describing or referring to something in a way that may be amusing or unusual rather than completely accurate. 可以说

  例：

  I ought not to tell you but I will, since you're in the family, so to speak.

  我不该告诉你，但我会告诉你，因为说来你也是这个家庭的一员。

• 12. 

  to speak your mind →see mind

• 13. 

  to speak volumes →see volume