perorate

American  

[per-uh-reyt] / ˈpɛr əˌreɪt /

verb (used without object)

perorated, perorating

1. to speak at length; make a long, usually grandiloquent speech.

2. to bring a speech to a close with a formal conclusion.

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perorate British  

/ ˈpɛrəˌreɪt /

verb

1. to speak at length, esp in a formal manner

2. to conclude a speech or sum up, esp with a formal recapitulation

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Other Word Forms

• perorator
  noun

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

See Examples For:

perorate perorated perorating

“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 Roe, Frederick William

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 Maclaren, Alexander

Rapture proclaim to the grove, to the echoing cliffs perorate it?

From Erotica Romana by Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von

So they perorate and speculate; and call on the Friends of Law, when the question is not Law or No-Law, but Life or No-Life.

From The French Revolution by Carlyle, Thomas

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 Brown, Arthur William

And so, Lamoignon too having perorated not amiss, and wound up with that Promise of States-General,—the Sphere-music of Parlementary eloquence begins.

From The French Revolution by Carlyle, Thomas

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 London, Jack

Consequently," perorated Mr. Mortimer, "I conceive my personal obligations to Mr. Hucks to be satisfied; practically satisfied, even in law; as keen men of business, and allowing for contingencies, satisfied abundantly.

From True Tilda by Quiller-Couch, Arthur Thomas, Sir

He had listened to Horne Tooke perorating "hanging matters" at the Corresponding Society; he had seen the "electric ruby" circulating at its dinners; he had witnessed the collapse of Thomas Hardy's painstaking and methodical organisation.

From Shelley, Godwin and Their Circle by Brailsford, Henry Noel

I had a vague impression of listening to gigantic marionettes, perorating through a trumpet, with the emphasis of Spaniards.

From Amiel's Journal by Ward, Humphry, Mrs.

The venerable Earl of Hughenden came in as I was perorating.

From Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 62, Jan 27, 1872 by Various

Think, and ask yourselves, in spite of all this preaching and perorating from the teeth outward!

From Latter-Day Pamphlets by Carlyle, Thomas

"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 Somerville, E. Oe. (Edith Oenone)