to speak with
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To rob. I spoke with the cull on the cherry-coloured prancer; I robbed the man on the black horse. CANT.
Era: ca. 1811 (Georgian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Examples
It's not polite to speak with your mouth full.Nói trong lúc mồm đầy thức ăn là một việc không lịch sự.
Diplomacy is not only about to speak with friendly countries.Ngoại giao không chỉ là ăn nói với những quốc gia thân thiện.
Tatoeba sentence #240537 (CC BY 2.0 FR, tatoeba.org, retrieved 2026-07-31)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1811 edition, public domain; Project Gutenberg #5402, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to speak with” mean?
To rob. I spoke with the cull on the cherry-coloured prancer; I robbed the man on the black horse. CANT.
Is “to speak with” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.