Bespeak Definition
bĭ-spēk
bespeaking, bespeaks, bespoke, bespoken
verb
bespeaking, bespeaks, bespoke
To be or give a sign of; indicate.
American Heritage
To speak for in advance; engage beforehand; reserve.
That room is bespoken.
Webster's New World
To foretell; portend.
American Heritage
To be indicative of; show.
A mansion that bespeaks wealth.
Webster's New World
To engage, hire, or order in advance.
American Heritage
Origin of Bespeak
-
From Middle English bespeken, bispeken, from Old English *bespecan, besprecan (“to speak about, speak against, accuse of, claim at law, complain”), from Proto-Germanic *bisprekaną (“to discuss, blame”), equivalent to be- + speak. Cognate with Scots bespeke (“to beseech, speak or negotiate with”), West Frisian besprekke (“to discuss”), Dutch bespreken (“to discuss, review, debate”), German besprechen (“to discuss, review, talk about”).
From Wiktionary
Middle English bispeken to speak out from Old English besprecan to speak about
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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