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speech

speech

184 4.8
A long talk that tells someone they did wrong
  • noun
  • /spiːtʃ/
  • Informal
translation icon : regaño
  • This is the most tactless speech I have ever heard.

You are so not grateful and they may be giving you this speech just in response to you asking them to take out the trash.

Examples

  • But this is not the time for the "I told you so" speech.

  • Mother would definitely make a long speech about my actions having lifelong consequences.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • One senator just gave a speech slurring us 57 times in 20 minutes.

  • Jack came in this morning with some speech about how I am incompetent and how much money I've been losing him.

  • After the incident, the manager gave me a long speech about the importance of punctuality.

  • My parents sat me down for a serious speech about responsibility and consequences.

  • The teacher often prepares a speech to address the class on unacceptable behavior.

Synonyms

lecture
vsspeech
68 4.1

A long serious talk that warns or scolds someone about what they did

is a formal rebuke often, not just a disciplinary talk
speaking to
vsspeech
  • Informal
62 7.0

A short talk telling someone they did something wrong

is usually longer and more formal than an ordinary reproof
sermon
vsspeech
33 4.7

A long serious talk that criticizes someone's behavior and tells them how to behave

is a formal rebuke without necessarily a moral or religious tone
tirade
vsspeech
25 7.7

A long angry speech that criticizes someone or something

is a formal rebuke that is usually less emotional and controlled
reprimand
vsspeech
  • Formal
24 6.1

A formal complaint from someone in charge about bad behaviour

is typically longer and more lecture-like than a short disapproval
harangue
vsspeech
4 8.9

A long angry speech that attacks a person or their ideas

is typically formal and less loud or aggressive in tone
talking to
vsspeech
  • Informal
1 4.2

A serious scolding from someone like a parent or boss

is typically longer or more formal than a single scolding
what for
vsspeech
  • Informal
1 8.8

A strong scolding you get when someone is angry with you

is more formal and can be extended, not just an informal scolding

Antonyms

342 1.6

A polite remark that praises someone or something

161 1.0

Words or actions that show admiration for someone

Idioms

Not speaking is often better than saying things you do not need to say

Compounds

free speech
  • Formal
178 3.2

The right to say what you think in public without the government stopping you

89 2.7

The right to say what you think without fear of government punishment

hate speech
  • Offensive
41 5.1

Speech that attacks a group and encourages others to harm or treat them unfairly, like race, religion, gender

Words used to mean something different to create a strong picture

stump speech
  • Literature
14 6.5

A talk a politician gives many times during a campaign about their main plans

Help for people who find talking difficult so others can understand them

A way of speaking that a person often uses, shown by accent or rhythm

A main talk at a meeting that gives the event's main idea

A person who helps people who have trouble speaking or using words

1 3.5

The last talk a person gives before leaving a job or event

A talk that makes people feel brave and ready to act

part of speech
  • Specialized
1 3.5

A class of words like noun, verb, or adjective

A sincere spoken message that shows deep feeling

1 6.9

A speech at a political meeting that officially proposes someone as a candidate

speech disorder
  • Specialized
1 4.3

A condition that makes it hard to say sounds correctly or use the voice well

speech act
  • Specialized
1 7.4

Words that you say to do something, like asking or promising

A rounded shape in comics that shows what a character says or thinks

A body part like the tongue or lips used to make sounds for talking

speech community
  • Specialized
1 5.5

People who use the same language or dialect and follow the same rules for talking

speech defect
  • Specialized
1 4.8

Difficulty speaking clearly that makes others hard to understand

speech synthesizer
  • Specialized
1 4.8

A device or program that makes a voice like a human

defect of speech
  • Specialized
5.9

A problem that makes someone speak unclearly or have trouble saying words

Speech that is hard to follow because the ideas do not connect

feature of speech
  • Specialized
6.8

A part of how we speak that helps show the difference between words or sounds

A strong speech that makes people feel excited or amazed

7.8

A smooth, sweet way of speaking that sounds pleasant to hear

incendiary speech
  • Literature
8.7

A speech that makes people very angry or causes unrest

non-standard speech
  • Specialized
8.6

A way of speaking that differs from the usual form used by local native adults

9.6

Rich loud speaking that sounds grand and a little showy

part-of-speech tagger
  • Specialized
4.6

A computer program that labels each word as a noun, verb, or adjective

phatic speech
  • Specialized
8.8

Words used to start or keep a friendly talk, not to give information

Words you hear from people talking nearby on the phone

Sharing ideas and information by speaking to others

3.4

A school event when people give speeches and students get prizes

A round shape in a comic that shows what a character says

6.7

How well people understand spoken words when there is background noise or bad sound

speech production
  • Specialized
4.4

The way a person makes clear spoken words other people can understand

speech rhythm
  • Specialized
3.7

The pattern of strong and weak syllables that makes speech flow

speech sound
  • Specialized
4.5

A single sound that people make when they talk

speech organ
  • Specialized
4.1

A body part like the tongue or lips that makes speech sounds

speech perception
  • Specialized
5.3

The way the brain hears and understands spoken words

speech spectrum
  • Specialized
5.2

The range of high and low sounds in a person's voice

visible speech
  • Specialized
8.6

A picture that shows speech sounds over time

visible speech
  • Archaic
9.9

A set of written signs that shows how to make speech sounds with the mouth

9.5

A very impressive talk that makes people want to act

How Severe

tirade
25 7.7
speech
  • Informal
184 4.8
rebuke
22 6.8
admonition
17 7.4
warning
1.0

Surface Forms

speech singular
speeches plural

Etymology

Speech comes from the same root as speak, meaning 'to say words', and because it can mean a long talking, people also use it for a long 'talk' someone gives as a scolding or lecture.