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
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
Feuillans, including almost the whole Constitutional Respectability of France, perorate nightly from their tribune; correspond through all Post-offices; denouncing unquiet Jacobinism; trusting well that its time is nigh done.
From The French Revolution by Thomas Carlyle
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
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
He perorated: Recent events in Spanish Morocco were far from reassuring for the Spaniards.
From Time Magazine Archive
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
“Now, boys,” Bill perorated, “before I retire to the shades of private life, I motion we give Three Cheers—regular Toplifters—for Richard Wade!”
From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 09, No. 51, January, 1862 by Various
Such animosity as was shown against the priesthood emanated from some of the public clubs where the future Communards perorated.
From My Days of Adventure The Fall of France, 1870-71 by Ernest Alfred Vizetelly
When I get back to Chicago," he perorated, "I'm going to get a job and stick to it till hell freezes over.
From The Road by Jack London
Whilst other people were promenading or perorating, Trochu, in his room at the Louvre, was receiving telegram after telegram informing him that the Germans were now fast closing round the city.
From My Days of Adventure The Fall of France, 1870-71 by Ernest Alfred Vizetelly
"And what, I ask you," I said perorating, "what on the face of the earth are we to do now?"
From All on the Irish Shore Irish Sketches by E. Oe. (Edith Oenone) Somerville
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
Think, and ask yourselves, in spite of all this preaching and perorating from the teeth outward!
From Latter-Day Pamphlets by Thomas Carlyle
And as there was no one less impatient under sentiment or poetry than madame, her feet began to agitate themselves as if Jules were perorating some of his culinary inanities before her.
From Balcony Stories by Grace E. King
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