holds forth
Delivers extended monologue
To hold forth is to speak at length, often in a pompous or self-important manner.
The phrase suggests someone dominating a conversation with their opinions or expertise, whether welcome or not: He held forth on politics for an hour while everyone else tried to eat.
The image is of someone holding the floor, keeping others at bay with their monologue.
- speechmakingDelivering formal spoken addresses
- orationFormal public speech
- eloquencePersuasive verbal grace
- monologueUninterrupted solo address
- assertionConfident statement of fact
declaim · voice · gesture · soapbox · discourse · conversation · expound · lecture · insistence · rhetoric · pontificate · persuasion · harangue · keynote address · sermon · argumentation · public speaking · stump speech
holds forthlistens
Perceives sound attentively
lends an ear · pays attention · clams up · shuts up · bites one's tongue
holds forthsummarizes
Restates in brief
gets to the point · mumbles · hedges · demurs · whispers
hold, holds, held, holding, holder, holders, holdout, holdover, behold