Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - speech

~ n 1 a talk, especially a formal one about a particular subject, given to a group of people  (an election speech | give/make/deliver a speech)  (Dr Ozu made a brilliant speech about the need for change.) 2 the ability to speak  (Only humans are capable of speech. | power of speech (=the ability to speak))  (brain damage resulting in the loss of the power of speech | speech impediment (=a physical or nervous problem that affects your speech)) 3 spoken language rather than written language  (In speech we use a smaller vocabulary than in writing. | freedom of speech (=the right to say whatever you want)) 4 the particular way in which someone speaks  (Bob's speech was slurred, and he sounded drunk.) 5 a set of lines that an actor must say in a play  (Hamlet's longest speech)  (- see also direct speech, figure of speech, indirect speech, part of speech, reported speech, speech bubble bubble1 (3))