bespoken


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be·speak

 (bĭ-spēk′)
tr.v. be·spoke (-spōk′), be·spo·ken (-spō′kən) or be·spoke, be·speak·ing, be·speaks
1.
a. To be or give a sign of; indicate: "Their impeccable coiffures bespoke a recent trip to the beauty parlor" (Daniel B. Silver). See Synonyms at indicate.
b. To foretell; portend: "He salutes them with a stricken look, as if their arrival bespeaks doom for him" (Edna O'Brien).
2.
a. To engage, hire, or order in advance: "Some of the volumes that she had just bespoken the bookseller was to send to foreign countries" (Henry James). See Synonyms at book1.
b. To request: bespeak a favor.
3. Archaic To speak to; address.

[Middle English bispeken, to speak out, from Old English besprecan, to speak about.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

be•speak

(bɪˈspik)

v.t. -spoke, -spo•ken -spoke, -speak•ing.
1. to ask for in advance; request.
2. to reserve beforehand: to bespeak a seat in a theater.
3. to speak to formally; address.
4. to show; indicate: This bespeaks a kindly heart.
5. to foretell.
[before 900]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Adj.1.bespoken - (of clothing) custom-madebespoken - (of clothing) custom-made    
custom, custom-made - made according to the specifications of an individual
2.bespoken - pledged to be marriedbespoken - pledged to be married; "the engaged couple"
committed, attached - associated in an exclusive sexual relationship
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
References in classic literature ?
"She was bespoken yesterday at Port Said, and the rest of the way is of no account to such a craft.
The wall stood there before his eyes, exactly as he had bespoken it!
WEALTH looks at the origins of the modern man's suit and gets tips on going bespoke from master tailor of London, Leonard Logsdail ,BBespoke [bih-spohk]: "custom or custom-made, made to order," of goods, as distinguished from ready-made, 1755, earlier bespoken (c.1600), pp.