declaim

From Middle French declamer, from Latin dēclāmō.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /dɪˈkleɪm/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -eɪm

declaim (third-person singular simple present declaims, present participle declaiming, simple past and past participle declaimed)

1. To object to something vociferously; to rail against in speech.
2. To recite, e.g., poetry, in a theatrical way; to speak for rhetorical display; to speak pompously, noisily, or theatrically; bemouth; to make an empty speech; to rehearse trite arguments in debate; to rant.
   • 1834–1874, George Bancroft, History of the United States, from the Discovery of the American Continent, volume (please specify |volume=I to X), Boston, Mass.: Little, Brown and Company [et al.], →OCLC:

     Grenville seized the opportunity to declaim on the repeal of the stamp act.

3. To speak rhetorically; to make a formal speech or oration; specifically, to recite a speech, poem, etc., in public as a rhetorical exercise; to practice public speaking.

   The students declaim twice a week.

• Not to be confused with disclaim (refuse or disown); thus, the collocation declaim responsibility when meant as "refuse responsibility" is best rectified to become disclaim responsibility.

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