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.
“I don’t want to speak for her,” Belichick said when asked about the motive behind Hudson’s requests.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026
Instead, we cut to rehearsals for the comeback tour, with a caption informing us the brothers "didn't speak for 15 years", and an implication that all the wounds have been miraculously healed.
From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026
I’ve heard “The data speak for themselves” countless times.
From Slate ● Aug. 27, 2026
Brooks is letting the selections speak for themselves, offering up the movies he loved without feeling the need to make a case for them.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
“Upon my word, I cannot exactly explain the matter, Darcy must speak for himself.”
From "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen
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.
