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Bespeaking

Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Bespeak \Be*speak"\, v. t. [imp. {Bespoke}, {Bespake} (Archaic);
   p. p. {Bespoke}, {Bespoken}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Bespeaking}.]
   [OE. bispeken, AS. besprecan, to speak to, accuse; pref. be-
   + sprecan to speak. See {Speak}.]
   1. To speak or arrange for beforehand; to order or engage
      against a future time; as, to bespeak goods, a right, or a
      favor.

            Concluding, naturally, that to gratify his avarice
            was to bespeak his favor.             --Sir W.
                                                  Scott.

   2. To show beforehand; to foretell; to indicate.

            [They] bespoke dangers . . . in order to scare the
            allies.                               --Swift.

   3. To betoken; to show; to indicate by external marks or
      appearances.

            When the abbot of St. Martin was born, he had so
            little the figure of a man that it bespoke him
            rather a monster.                     --Locke.

   4. To speak to; to address. [Poetic]

            He thus the queen bespoke.            --Dryden.
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