verb
spake
spayk
Spake (verb) means an old-fashioned or literary past tense of "speak.". Example: “And the old man spake unto them of times long past.”
verb
1
An old-fashioned or literary past tense of "speak."
"But at last his heart changed,—and rising one morning with the rosy dawn, he went before the sun, and spake thus unto it: Thou great star! What would be thy happiness if thou hadst not those for whom thou shinest!"
— , Zarathustra's Prologue (1909)
"And the old man spake unto them of times long past."
How to use spake
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn old-fashioned way of saying "spoke."
When to use it
Archaic; used today only for deliberate old-fashioned or biblical-sounding effect, never in ordinary modern speech.
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Word forms
- Plural
- spakes
- Comparative
- more spake
- Superlative
- most spake
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And the old man _____ unto them of times long past.
Etymology
An archaic past tense of "speak," common in older English and biblical translations, now surviving mainly in deliberately old-fashioned or poetic writing.
Rhymes for spake
See all rhymes for spake →Frequently asked questions
What does “spake” mean?
The word “spake” means an old-fashioned or literary past tense of "speak.". In plain terms, an old-fashioned way of saying "spoke.".
How do you pronounce “spake”?
“Spake” is pronounced spayk (/speɪk/ in IPA).
How do you use “spake” in a sentence?
Here is “spake” used in a sentence: “And the old man spake unto them of times long past.”
What part of speech is “spake”?
“Spake” is a verb.
