declaim

Declaim — De*claim (d[ e]*kl[=a]m ), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Declaimed} (d[ e]*kl[=a]md ); p. pr. & vb. n. {Declaiming}.] [L. declamare; de + clamare to cry out: cf. F. d[ e]clamer. See {Claim}.] 1. To speak rhetorically; to make a formal speech or oration;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

Declaim — De*claim , v. t. 1. To utter in public; to deliver in a rhetorical or set manner. [1913 Webster] 2. To defend by declamation; to advocate loudly. [Obs.] Declaims his cause. South. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

declaim — I verb address, deliver oratorically, descant, dilate, discourse, dissertate, expand, expatiate, expound, give a formal speech, harangue, hold forth, lecture, make a speech, orate, perorate, preach, prelect, proclaim, rant, recite, rhetorize,… …   Law dictionary

declaim — (v.) late 14c., from M.Fr. déclamer and directly from L. declamare to practice public speaking, to bluster, from de intensive prefix + clamare to cry, shout (see CLAIM (Cf. claim) (v.)). At first in English spelled declame, but altered under… …   Etymology dictionary

declaim — [v] proclaim; get on a soapbox attack, bloviate, blow hot air*, declare, decry, denounce, harangue, hold forth, inveigh, lecture, mouth, orate, perorate, pile it on*, proclaim, rail, rant, recite, soapbox*, speak, spiel*, spout*, talk big*;… …   New thesaurus

declaim — ► VERB ▪ speak or recite in an emphatic or dramatic way. DERIVATIVES declamatory adjective. ORIGIN Latin declamare, from clamare to shout …   English terms dictionary

declaim — [dē klām′, diklām′] vi. [ME declamen < L declamare < de , intens. + clamare, to cry, shout: see CLAMOR] 1. to recite a speech, poem, etc. with studied or artificial eloquence 2. a) to speak in a dramatic, pompous, or blustering way b) to… …   English World dictionary

declaim — [[t]dɪkle͟ɪm[/t]] declaims, declaiming, declaimed VERB If you declaim, you speak dramatically, as if you were acting in a theatre. [WRITTEN] [V with quote] He raised his right fist and declaimed: Liar and cheat! ... [V n] I can remember the way… …   English dictionary

declaim — UK [dɪˈkleɪm] / US verb [intransitive/transitive] Word forms declaim : present tense I/you/we/they declaim he/she/it declaims present participle declaiming past tense declaimed past participle declaimed formal to say something, especially in a… …   English dictionary

declaim — declaimer, n. /di klaym /, v.i. 1. to speak aloud in an oratorical manner; make a formal speech: Brutus declaimed from the steps of the Roman senate building. 2. to inveigh (usually fol. by against): He declaimed against the high rents in slums.… …   Universalium

declaim — verb 1) a preacher declaiming from the pulpit Syn: make a speech, give an address, give a lecture, deliver a sermon; speak, hold forth, orate, preach, lecture, sermonize, moralize; informal sound off, spout, speechify, preachify 2) …   Thesaurus of popular words