Definition: bespeak

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Source: WordNet (r) 1.7 

bespeak
     v 1: be a signal for or a symptom of; "These symptoms indicate a
          serious illness"; "Her behavior points to a severe
          neurosis"; "The economic indicators signal that the euro
          is undervalued" [syn: betoken, indicate, point, signal]
     2: express the need or desire for; ask for; "She requested an
        extra bed in her room"; "She called for room service"
        [syn: request, call for, quest]

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) 

Bespeak \Be*speak"\, v. i.
   To speak. [Obs.] --Milton.
Bespeak \Be*speak"\, v. t. [imp. Bespoke, Bespake (Archaic);
   p. p. Bespoke, Bespoken; p. pr. & vb. n. Bespeaking.]
   [OE. bispeken, AS. besprecan, to speak to, accuse; pref. be-
   + sprecan to speak. See Speak.]
   1. To speak or arrange for beforehand; to order or engage
      against a future time; as, to bespeak goods, a right, or a
      favor.

            Concluding, naturally, that to gratify his avarice
            was to bespeak his favor.             --Sir W.
                                                  Scott.

   2. To show beforehand; to foretell; to indicate.

            [They] bespoke dangers . . . in order to scare the
            allies.                               --Swift.

   3. To betoken; to show; to indicate by external marks or
      appearances.

            When the abbot of St. Martin was born, he had so
            little the figure of a man that it bespoke him
            rather a monster.                     --Locke.

   4. To speak to; to address. [Poetic]

            He thus the queen bespoke.            --Dryden.
Bespeak \Be*speak"\, n.
   A bespeaking. Among actors, a benefit (when a particular play
   is bespoken.) ``The night of her bespeak.'' --Dickens.