ENGLISH
REFERENCE

spoke

v. · n.
US //ˈspoʊk// UK //spˈəʊk// spoke
  1. 1 past tense of speak (v.)
    A1 Beginner

    the past tense of the verb 'speak'.

    the simple past tense of the irregular verb 'speak'.

    Example

    She spoke to her manager about the project yesterday morning.

    Example

    The diplomat spoke with measured caution, ensuring that his words could not be misinterpreted by the waiting press corps.
    Pitfall
    I have spoke to him already.
    I have spoken to him already.

    In modern standard English, 'spoke' is the past tense, but 'spoken' is the past participle used with 'have'.

  2. 2 part of a wheel (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    one of the thin bars that connect the centre of a wheel to its outer edge.

    one of the rods or bars radiating from the hub of a wheel to support the rim.

    Example

    The bicycle wheel was wobbly because one of the spokes was broken.

    Example

    The artisan carefully fitted each wooden spoke into the hub, ensuring the wagon wheel would remain balanced under heavy loads.
  3. 3 steering handle (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Nautical

    a handle that sticks out from the steering wheel of a ship.

    a projecting handle on the outer rim of a ship's steering wheel.

    Example

    The captain gripped the spokes of the wheel as the storm grew stronger.

    Example

    The helmsman maintained a firm grasp on the wheel's spokes, fighting the heavy swell to keep the vessel on its intended course.
  4. 4 transportation model (n.)
    C1 Advanced Academic Technical

    a route that connects a smaller place to a main central hub.

    a peripheral location or route connected to a central point in a hub-and-spoke distribution network.

    Example

    The airline added a new spoke to its network by flying to the small island.

    Example

    The logistics company optimised its hub-and-spoke model to reduce the transit time between regional spokes and the central sorting facility.
Etymology 1

From Middle English spoke, from Old English spāca, from Proto-West Germanic spaikā, from Proto-Germanic spaikǭ. Compare Scots spaik (“spoke”), Dutch spaak and English spike.

Etymology 2

From Middle English speke, spake, spoke, spak, spek, speken, spoken, from Old English spæc, specen.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Related words

Last updated June 19, 2026