speak well of

present singular third person speaks well of · participle present speaking well of · past spoke well of · participle past spoken well of

1. To say good things about someone or something.

   She believed every body spoke well of him.

   1816, Jane Austen, chapter 4, in Emma

   3 more examples

   "I have always shown her by my manner that I dislike her. She must think me an odious creature." "On the contrary," replied Idris, "whenever your name has been mentioned she has spoken well of you, and has expressed herself as desirous of your friendship."

   1904, John R. Carling, “Idris Declares His Love”, in The Viking's Skull, Boston: Little, Brown, and Company, page 204

   There is nothing that will make this world brighter and happier than to speak well of one another.

   1911, Lemuel K. Washburn, “Speak Well of One Another”, in Is The Bible Worth Reading And Other Essays, New York: The Truth Seeker Company

   Three were stationed at Leicester for use on the fast, light London trains, and Lancashire drove for some years No. 970, of which he speaks well.

   1959 April 29, L. H. Leedham, “A Veteran of the M.S.L.R.”, in Railway Magazine, page 279

   Synonyms: laud, praise, puff, brush up to, collogue, flatter, flatterize, glaver · Antonyms: speak ill of, assassinate, asperse, backbite, badmouth, befoul, belibel, besmirch