bespoken
- a past participle of bespeak.
Origin of bespoken
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.
Origin of bespeak
Related Words for bespoken
imply, attest, exclaim, engage, show, hint, request, stipulate, discuss, speak, accost, foretell, argue, address, ask, announce, reserve, cite, arrangeExamples from the Web for bespoken
Contemporary Examples of bespoken
“When you're a smaller brand, you have to take advantage of these opportunities,” said Liam Fayed of menswear label Bespoken.
Historical Examples of bespoken
"You cannot have the new carriage you have bespoken," said his lordship.
Tales And Novels, Volume 3 (of 10)Maria Edgeworth
The box was bespoken and the carriage, as soon as they had had their coffee, found to be in attendance.
The Tragic MuseHenry James
Bartemy and I have bespoken an eel pie and a gallon of humming cider of Normandy.
The Golden DogWilliam Kirby
The wall stood there before his eyes, exactly as he had bespoken it!
The Yellow Fairy BookLeonora Blanche Alleyne Lang
I have bespoken a Miscellany: what would you have me do more?
The Journal to StellaJonathan Swift
bespeak
- to engage, request, or ask for in advance
- to indicate or suggestthis act bespeaks kindness
- poetic to speak to; address
- archaic to foretell
Word Origin and History for bespoken
bespeak
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]