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spoke

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speak a mile a minute

To speak in a very quick or hurried manner; to talk very fast. When the boss gets excited, she starts speaking a mile a minute, and I can never follow everything she's trying to say!

See also: mile, minute, speak

speak by the card

To speak with accuracy and exactness. The "card" in this now-obsolete phrase might have referred to a sea chart, which was considered very precise. I always trust a man who speaks by the card—it inspires great confidence.

See also: card, speak

speak daggers

To speak harshly or maliciously, so as to hurt the listener. I can't stand to be around my mother these days—she's always speaking daggers because she's so miserable. I will speak daggers to my enemy when I see him at the debate.

See also: dagger, speak

speak in circles

To talk about something in an indirect or confusing way that is hard for the listener to follow. As journalists, we need to ask the important questions and keep these politicians from speaking in circles. A: "What's new with Mary?" B: "I have no idea because she spoke in circles the whole time."

See also: circle, speak

speak well for

1. To show support or vouch for someone. I can speak well for Ted, I've known him for years.

2. To act as proof of something. I think she would make a great model—her grace and poise speak well for her.

See also: speak, well

I spoke out of turn.

Fig. I said the wrong thing.; I should not have said what I did. (An apology.) Bill: You said I was the one who did it. Mary: I'm sorry. I spoke out of turn. I was mistaken. Bill: I seem to have said the wrong thing. Bob: You certainly did. Bill: I spoke out of turn, and I'm sorry.

See also: of, out, spoke, turn

I spoke too soon.

 

1. Fig. I am wrong.; I spoke before I knew the facts. Bill: I know I said I would, but I spoke too soon. Sue: I thought so. John: You said that everything would be all right. Jane: I spoke too soon. That was before I learned that you had been arrested.

2. Fig. What I had said was just now contradicted. Bob: It's beginning to brighten up. I guess it won't rain after all. John: I'm glad to hear that. Bob: Whoops! I spoke too soon. I just felt a raindrop on my cheek. Bill: Thank heavens! Here's John now. Bob: No, that's Fred. Bill: I spoke too soon. He sure looked like John.

See also: soon, spoke

put a spoke in somebody's wheel

  (British & Australian)

to spoil someone else's plans and stop them from doing something Tell him you're using the car that weekend - that should put a spoke in his wheel.

See also: put, spoke, wheel

spokes

n. lists of jokes, sent from friends via email; joke spam. I don’t know what’s worse, spokes or spam.

See also: spoke