perorate
Americanverb (used without object)
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to speak at length; make a long, usually grandiloquent speech.
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to bring a speech to a close with a formal conclusion.
verb
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to speak at length, esp in a formal manner
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to conclude a speech or sum up, esp with a formal recapitulation
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of perorate
First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin perōrātus, past participle of perōrāre; see origin at per-, orate
Explanation
To perorate is to give a long, pompous speech. If you were expecting your teacher's remarks at the beginning of class to be a quick announcement, your heart will sink when he begins to perorate. There are two ways to use this somewhat old-fashioned word. The first is as a near-synonym of "orate," although to perorate is to give an even more flowery, pretentious speech than a mere oration. If you perorate when it's your turn to comment at a town meeting, it's unlikely you'll be taken seriously. An older meaning of perorate is to end a long speech with a summary of your main points.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“I’ll just look into my soft drink and listen to someone else perorate about me,” Sting said.
From Washington Post
The Greek sought after wisdom; he wanted a man who would perorate and argue and dissertate.
From Expositions of Holy Scripture: Romans Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V) by Alexander Maclaren
But here he'll pose and perorate, A Brutus vain and voluble.
From Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 98, February 8, 1890 by Various
He hears Burke perorate, and Johnson dogmatise, and Scott tell his border tales, and Wordsworth muse on the hillside, without the leave of any man, or the payment of any toll.
From English Prose A Series of Related Essays for the Discussion and Practice by Frederick William Roe
And church and state pause in this made vortex of chaos to prate of the ills of pugilism; to legislate and perorate anent bloodless boxing bouts; to prosecute a brace of harmless pugs.
From Brann the Iconoclast — Volume 12 by William Cowper Brann
He perorated: Recent events in Spanish Morocco were far from reassuring for the Spaniards.
From Time Magazine Archive
"Stench!" he perorated in a voice tremulous with emotion.
From The Day of Days An Extravaganza by Arthur William Brown
No Epworth Leaguers or Christian Endeavorers whereased, resoluted or perorated until their tongues were worn to a frazzle, trying to "preserve the honor of our ger-rate and gal-orious State by suppressing feather- pillow pugilism."
From Brann the Iconoclast — Volume 12 by William Cowper Brann
At times the demagogues who perorated from the tribunes at these gatherings, brought forward proposals which seemed to have emanated from some madhouse, but which were nevertheless hailed with delirious applause by their infatuated audiences.
From My Days of Adventure The Fall of France, 1870-71 by Ernest Alfred Vizetelly
I attended the clubs held in the churches, when women often perorated from the pulpits.
From My Days of Adventure The Fall of France, 1870-71 by Ernest Alfred Vizetelly
Not ten days hence Patriot Brissot, beshouted this day by the Patriot Galleries, shall find himself begroaned by them, on account of his limited Patriotism; nay pelted at while perorating, and 'hit with two prunes.'
From The French Revolution by Thomas Carlyle
Think, and ask yourselves, in spite of all this preaching and perorating from the teeth outward!
From Latter-Day Pamphlets by Thomas Carlyle
And we left him perorating on the steps of the hotel.
From Appearances Being Notes of Travel by G. Lowes (Goldsworthy Lowes) Dickinson
I had a vague impression of listening to gigantic marionettes, perorating through a trumpet, with the emphasis of Spaniards.
From Amiel's Journal by Mrs. Humphry Ward
The countess approached the divan in the centre of the room, where Raoul was perorating.
From A Daughter of Eve by Honoré de Balzac
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