ppl. a. Also 5 -spoke.
1. Of a person: Gifted with good or ready speech; courteous and refined in speech.
c. 1440. Alphabet of Tales, 394. When þis chylde was waxen he was fayr & semely & wele-spoken.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 138/2. Eloquent, or welle spoke man or woman, eloquens.
1476. Paston Lett., III. 157. He is wel spokyn in Inglyshe, metly well in Frenshe.
1552. Latimer, Serm. Christmas Day (1584), 273 b. Shee did not as our welspoken dames do: Shee tooke not in hand to preach.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., I. iii. 348. For Clarence is well spoken, and perhappes May moue your hearts to pitty, if you marke him.
1604. Bacon, Apol. Earl Essex, 37. I told her, my Lord was an eloquent and well spoken man.
1715. Addison, Drummer, V. end. Mr. Vellum, you are a well-spoken Man: Pray do you thank my Master and my Lady.
1816. Jane Austen, Persuasion, iii. A very well-spoken, genteel, shrewd lady, she seemed to be.
1844. Emerson, Ess., Nom. & Real., ¶ 3. England, strong, punctual, practical, well-spoken England I should not find if I should go to the island to seek it.
1899. Daily News, 5 June, 4/7. A pretty, well-spoken girl of 18 years.
transf. 1594. Shaks., Rich. III., I. i. 29. Since I cannot proue a Louer, To entertaine these faire well spoken dayes.
1599. B. Jonson, Ev. Man out of Hum., Induct. i. I vrg’d it … the rather To giue these ignorant wel-spoken daies Some tast of their abuse of this word Humor.
2. Of words: Spoken well or with propriety.
a. 1592. Greene & Lodge, Looking Gl. (1598), E 1 b. Well spoken fellow in thine owne behalfe.
1602. Shaks., Ham., II. ii. 488. Fore God, my Lord, well spoken, with good accent, and good discretion. Ibid. (1605), Lear, II. iv. 239. Is this well spoken?
3. With of: Favorably mentioned.
1538. Elyot, Dict., Add., Bene audire, to be well spoken of.
1778. Johnson, in Boswell (1904), II. 252. I have heard Henry’s History of Britain well spoken of.
Hence Well-spoken-of-ness. nonce-wd.
1872. W. H. Gillespie, Argum. Being & Attrib. God, V. ii. (ed. 6), 179. It [the word Blessedness] may stand for consummate Well-thought-of-ness, or Well-spoken-of-ness.
