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bespeak

Archaic Terms
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

To speak on behalf of; to request or arrange in advance; also to indicate or be evidence of something, as in "this bespeak his noble character."

Detailed Definition
In archaic usage, “bespeak” often means to reserve or commission (e.g., a ship or garment), but also to indicate or foretell. In poetry, it can imply destiny (“his face bespeaks nobility”) or divine sign. The dual sense—human agency and prophetic sign—makes it versatile in dramatic monologue or allegory, where appearance reveals inner truth or future consequence.
Example
Example in poetry:
"He bespeaks a noble lineage," notes a herald in a genealogical poem; In Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar: "He hath a lean and hungry look; / He thinks too much: such men are dangerous"—but earlier, Caesar "bespoke" trust; "She bespake the room with grace," meaning she commanded attention; "Bespeak me a place in your memory," pleads the dying lover; Milton uses "bespeak" to mean "indicate": "Darkness doth bespeak the coming storm"; The oak’s gnarled roots bespeak great age.
Additional Notes
“Bespeak” combines verbal advocacy (“speak for”) and commercial pre-ordering; in poetry, it often implies destiny (“his face bespeaks nobility”) or foreshadowing, linking appearance to inner truth or future action in character description.
Also Known As
request reserve engage
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