spoke

¹ American  

[spohk] / spoʊk /

verb

1. a simple past tense of speak.

2. Nonstandard. a past participle of speak.

3. Archaic. a past participle of speak.

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spoke ² American  

[spohk] / spoʊk /

noun

1. one of the bars, rods, or rungs radiating from the hub or nave of a wheel and supporting the rim or felloe.

2. something that resembles the spoke of a wheel.

3. a handlelike projection from the rim of a wheel, as a ship's steering wheel.

4. a rung of a ladder.

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verb (used with object)

spoked, spoking

1. to fit or furnish with or as with spokes.

spoke ¹ British  

/ spəʊk /

noun

1. a radial member of a wheel, joining the hub to the rim

2. a radial projection from the rim of a wheel, as in a ship's wheel

3. a rung of a ladder

4. to thwart someone's plans

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verb

1. (tr) to equip with or as if with spokes

spoke ² British  

/ spəʊk /

verb

1. the past tense of speak

2. archaic a past participle of speak

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Other Word Forms

• spokeless adjective

Etymology

Origin of spoke

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English spāca; cognate with Dutch speek, German Speiche

Example Sentences

In late January in Rabat, Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch spoke of a "natural, lasting" relationship with Senegal where he said Morocco has invested more than $540 million.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

Describing himself as a "romantic sceptic", Lewis said a lot of the people he spoke to "were remarkably articulate".

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

Soon after, he spoke by phone with Velez, who said she’d been praying for him every day.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

Nead spoke with The Wall Street Journal Leadership Institute about the lost class of future influencers and how the sector has changed as marketers have become more choosy about their influencer marketing budgets.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

And the day he said, “Those people you spoke of—I wonder if they’d care for some homegrown carrots,” then I knew the miracle had taken place.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom