bespeak

Etymology

From Middle English bespeken, bispeken, from Old English *bespecan, besprecan (“to speak about, speak against, accuse of, claim at law, complain”), from Proto-Germanic *bisprekaną (“to discuss, blame”), equivalent to be- + speak. Cognate with Scots bespeke (“to beseech, speak or negotiate with”), West Frisian besprekke (“to discuss”), Dutch bespreken (“to discuss, review, debate”), German besprechen (“to discuss, review, talk about”).

verb

1. (transitive) To speak about; tell of; relate; discuss.
   [They] bespoke dangers […] in order to scare the allies. 1711, Jonathan Swift, The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 3, The Examiner, Number 44, page 244
   But to bespeak of a love, heavily weighed upon a heart, toward someone opposing those sentiments encourages foolish and embarrassing repercussions he will never know about. 2006, Janet Jaymes, Dirty Laundry: A Memoir
2. (transitive) To speak for beforehand; engage in advance; make arrangements for; order or reserve in advance.
   I walked on into the village, with the desertion of this house upon my mind, and I found the landlord of the little inn, sanding his door-step. I bespoke breakfast, and broached the subject of the house. 1859, Charles Dickens, The Haunted House
3. (transitive) To stipulate, solicit, ask for, or request, as in a favour.
   to bespeak a calm hearing;  I bespeak your patience in advance.
4. (transitive, archaic) To forbode; foretell.
5. (transitive, archaic, poetic) To speak to; address.
6. (transitive) To betoken; show; indicate; foretell; suggest; allude to.
   This act bespeaks his kindness.
   Are they telling your story vividly, strikingly, in designs that command attention, in colors that bespeak distinction? 1921, Printers' Ink, volume 114, page 50
   … the drop in speed only from 66 to 53 m.p.h. up the six miles at 1 in 176-200-167 to Saunderton summit bespoke a hard effort, … 1961 February, Cecil J. Allen, “Locomotive Running Past and Present”, in Trains Illustrated, page 87
7. (intransitive) To speak up or out; exclaim; speak.

noun

1. (archaic) A request for a specific performance; a benefit performance, by a patron.