Spoke Meaning
/spəʊk/Definition, CEFR level A1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounA support structure that connects the axle or the hub of a wheel to the rim.
nounA projecting handle of a steering wheel.
Sentence Examples
Bill Clinton spoke in ambiguous language when asked to describe his relationship with Monica Lewinsky.
To my surprise, she spoke English very well.
She spoke critically of her father.
CEFR Practice Quiz
At the town hall meeting, the mayor ____ about the new park plan for fifteen minutes.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He ____ very highly of your work during the meeting, which was great to hear from such a senior manager.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English spoke, from Old English spāca, from Proto-West Germanic *spaikā, from Proto-Germanic *spaikō. Compare Scots spaik (“spoke”), Dutch spaak and English spike.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The wheels were at first copies of a light hand-cart wheel, the wood spokes were brought together by tapering the spoke ends and wedging them together at the nave or hub and inserting the other ends in slots in the felloe or wood rim."
— 1921, W. F. Grew, The Cycle Industry, London, page 4:
"Cleo. Hye thee againe, / I haue ſpoke already, and it is provided."
— c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii], page 366, column 2:
"Thoſe who have ſpoke in its Favour have allowed, that it is defective, with regard to the preſent Circumſtances of Europe,[…]"
— 1741, The London Magazine, and Monthly Chronologer, volume 10, C. Ackers, page 435:
"I should have spoke to him there and then, seen he was in the mood to do something stupid."
— 2014 May 1, John Barker, Futures: A Novel, PM Press, page 131:
Explore More A1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
At the town hall meeting, the mayor ____ about the new park plan for fifteen minutes.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He ____ very highly of your work during the meeting, which was great to hear from such a senior manager.