Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Without the power or gift of speech or utterance.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Silent, not talking.
  • adjective Mute, unable to speak for physical or psychological reasons.
  • verb Present participle of unspeak.

Etymologies

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Examples

  • Passing girls chatter, a feather falls with a mighty explosion, but he himself is silent, unspeaking and, as he perceives himself, unspeakable.

    Nancy Chuda: The Artist: A Review With an Extra Big Shout Out to Uggy Nancy Chuda 2012

  • And when the hard-harmonizing trio of Case, Newman and Kathryn Calder alighted on one of those widescreen choruses that Newman seems to be able to write while bushing his teeth, you had to imagine that even Dan Bejar -- the group's unsmiling, unspeaking second frontman, who kept himself hidden when he wasn't singing one of his own creations -- was fighting the urge to sing along.

    New Pornographers thrill the 9:30 club audience with new and old songs 2010

  • After a moment, Randall had crossed the room unspeaking and stood beside him.

    Sick Cycle Carousel 2010

  • Instead, the pair sat unspeaking for a moment, with only the occasional crunch of carrot breaking the silence.

    Unearthly Asylum P. J. Bracegirdle 2010

  • Murtagh read my face, and followed me unspeaking up the gangway to the top deck.

    Sick Cycle Carousel 2010

  • I have seen all the silence full of vivid noiseless boys at Roupy i have seen between barrages, the night utter ripe unspeaking girls.

    e.e. cummings, "the bigness of cannon " Victoria Janssen 2010

  • Instead, the pair sat unspeaking for a moment, with only the occasional crunch of carrot breaking the silence.

    Unearthly Asylum P. J. Bracegirdle 2010

  • And when the hard-harmonizing trio of Case, Newman, and Kathryn Calder alighted on one of those widescreen choruses that Newman seems to be able to write while brushing his teeth, you had to imagine that even Dan Bejar -- the group's unsmiling, unspeaking second frontman, who kept himself hidden when he wasn't singing one of his own -- was fighting the urge to sing along.

    In concert: New Pornographers at 9:30 club 2010

  • The audience, seated and crosslegged, closed eyes for an unspeaking minute.

    do you ever read writing? Peter DeWolf 2010

  • The unspeaking Abishag is more a tool to move the plot along than a developed character: she marks first the inability of David to continue his rule and, later, the inability of Adonijah to assume that power.

    Abishag: Bible. 2009

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