speak for

British  

verb

1. to speak as a representative of (other people)

2. to be so evident that no further comment is necessary

3. informal (used as an imperative) do not presume that other people agree with you

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speak for Idioms  

1. Intercede for, recommend, as in He spoke for the young applicant, commending her honesty . [c. 1300]

2. Express the views of, as in I can't speak for my husband but I'd love to accept , or I don't care what Harry thinks—Speak for yourself, Joe . [c. 1300]

3. speak for itself . Be significant or self-evident, as in They haven't called us in months, and that speaks for itself . [Second half of 1700s]

4. spoken for . Ordered, engaged, or reserved, as in This lot of rugs is already spoken for , or Is this dance spoken for? This usage comes from the older verb, bespeak , meaning “to order.” [Late 1600s]

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Example Sentences

U.S. gas exporters don’t have capacity available to ship much more LNG abroad than they already are, and much of their current output is spoken for in 20-year supply deals.

From The Wall Street Journal

At the same time, U.S. gas exports are largely spoken for with long-term contracts.

From The Wall Street Journal

Gafcon has members from across the world - including Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australasia – and claims to speak for the majority of the Global South, although that is contested.

From BBC

The group says it speaks for the majority of the world's Anglicans, although that is contested.

From BBC

“But again, I think, speaking for Mookie, his main goal is to help us win a championship. So, I think whatever falls out from there, I think that will happen.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• advance
• advertise
• advocate
• benefit
• bolster
• boost
• build up
• cooperate
• develop
• encourage
• endorse
• further
• improve
• popularize
• publicize
• push
• push for
• sell
• soft sell
• speed