speak for
Britishverb
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to speak as a representative of (other people)
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to be so evident that no further comment is necessary
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informal (used as an imperative) do not presume that other people agree with you
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Intercede for, recommend, as in He spoke for the young applicant, commending her honesty . [c. 1300]
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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]
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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]
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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]
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.
And I didn’t want anyone else to speak for her.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026
Moments earlier she had been sitting on the Reform benches and had been due to speak for the party in the chamber.
From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026
Astaire considered himself a dancer first, but composers prized his singing—its flawless rhythm, clear diction and emotional restraint, a plain manner that let melody and lyrics speak for themselves.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
I’ve heard “The data speak for themselves” countless times.
From Slate ● Aug. 27, 2026
“I want you to leave me alone. Don’t speak to me. Don’t speak for me, don’t make decisions for me. Don’t talk to other people about me. Got it?”
From "The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street" by Karina Yan Glaser
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
