speech

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. The faculty or act of speaking.
2. n. The faculty or act of expressing or describing thoughts, feelings, or perceptions by the articulation of words.
3. n. Something spoken; an utterance.
4. n. Vocal communication; conversation.
5. n. A talk or public address: "The best impromptu speeches are the ones written well in advance” ( Ruth Gordon).
6. n. A printed copy of such an address.
7. n. One's habitual manner or style of speaking.
8. n. The language or dialect of a nation or region: American speech.
9. n. The sounding of a musical instrument.
10. n. The study of oral communication, speech sounds, and vocal physiology.
11. n. Archaic Rumor.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The faculty of uttering articulate sounds or words, as in human beings and, by imitation, in some birds; capacity for expressing thoughts by words or articulate sounds; the power of speaking, or of uttering words either in the speaking-or the singing-voice.
2. n. The action or exercise of speaking; expression of thoughts or ideas with the speaking-voice; oral utterance or communication; also, an act or exercise of oral expression or communication; talk; conversation; discourse: as, a person's habit of speech; to be chary of speech; their speech was all about themselves.
3. n. The words and grammatical forms in which thought is expressed; language; a language.
4. n. That which is spoken; thoughts as uttered or written; a saying or remark; especially, a more or less formal address or other utterance; an oration; a harangue: as, a cutting speech in conversation; the speeches in a dialogue or a drama; to deliver a speech; a volume of speeches.
5. n. A speaking or talking of something; uttered opinion, intention, etc.; oral or verbal mention; report.
6. n. An occasion of speaking; course of speaking; oral communication; colloquy; conference; parlance: as, to get speech of or with a person.
7. n. Manner of speaking; form or quality of that which is spoken or of spoken sounds; method of utterance, either habitual or occasional: as, his speech betrays his nationality; rapid speech; thick or harsh speech.
8. n. The utterance or sounding of a musical instrument, especially of a pipe in a pipe-organ.
9. n. In a wheel, the hub with the spokes, but without the fellies and tire.
10. n. Synonyms Speech, Address, Harangue, Oration. Speech is generic, and applies to any form of words uttered; it is the thing spoken, without reference to its quality or the manner of speaking it. An address is a speech viewed as spoken to one or more persons, and is generally of the better sort: as, Paul's speech on Mars' Hill; his address before Felix. A harangue is a noisy speech, usually unstudied and unpolished, addressed to a large audience and in a violent manner. An oration is a formal, impressive, studied, and elaborately polished address: as, Webster was selected to deliver the oration when the corner-stone of the Bunker Hill monument was laid, and again when the monument was completed. See sermon and language.
11. To make a speech; harangue.

Wiktionary

1. n. uncountable The faculty of speech; the ability to speak or to use vocalizations to communicate.
2. n. countable A session of speaking; a long oral message given publicly usually by one person.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. The faculty of uttering articulate sounds or words; the faculty of expressing thoughts by words or articulate sounds; the power of speaking.
2. n. he act of speaking; that which is spoken; words, as expressing ideas; language; conversation.
3. n. A particular language, as distinct from others; a tongue; a dialect.
4. n. Talk; mention; common saying.
5. n. formal discourse in public; oration; harangue.
6. n. ny declaration of thoughts.
7. v. rare To make a speech; to harangue.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. words making up the dialogue of a play
2. n. a lengthy rebuke
3. n. (language) communication by word of mouth
4. n. the act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience
5. n. your characteristic style or manner of expressing yourself orally
6. n. the exchange of spoken words
7. n. the mental faculty or power of vocal communication
8. n. something spoken