Spiels

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. To engage in a lengthy or elaborate discourse or narrative
2. To describe or promote something, often in a persuasive manner
3. A presentation or speech that is often rehearsed, typically aimed at convincing an audience

Etymology: "Spiels" is the plural of "spiel," and the noun has a surprisingly playful ancestry. Its core sense is simply "game" or "play," which is why the word once described a sporting contest as much as a talk. The German "Spiel" meant "game, performance," and Yiddish picked up the same word as "shpil," and English borrowed it through both routes. Old English had a related verb, "spilian," meaning "to revel, play," so the connection to playfulness runs deep in the family tree. Scots offers another thread. Its "spiel" meant "game, play" and also a curling match, and it came from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German "spel." The Scots sense of play-as-contest is a useful clue to how the word drifted toward talk: a game is often a performance, and a performance can be a patter. Over time, the sporting and theatrical senses gave way to the modern idea of a smooth, practised pitch.

Synonyms: speeches, presentations, routines