spiel
Other forms: spiels; spieling; spieled
A spiel is a lengthy, often glib talk that's intended to persuade or make excuses. Infomercials feature salespeople giving a 30-minute spiel about some product.
Used as a noun or verb, spiel originates from the German word spielen, meaning “to play." It's often somewhat rehearsed and should be greeted with skepticism. Upon turning 16, your child might give you a spiel about why they need a car for their birthday. In a political debate, if your stance doesn't sound original, thoughtful, and earnest, it may just come across as a spiel, leading your audience to think, "Oh, brother, there they go again."
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plausible glib talk (especially useful to a salesperson)
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synonyms:
line of gab, patter
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type of:
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channel, communication channel, line
(often plural) a means of communication or access
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channel, communication channel, line
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speak at great length (about something)
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replay (as a melody)
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synonyms:
play
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play
play on an instrument
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types:
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riff
play riffs
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misplay
play incorrectly, e.g., play a wrong note
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fiddle
play on a violin
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replay
play (a melody) again
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prelude
play as a prelude
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jazz
play something in the style of jazz
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rag
play in ragtime
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bugle
play on a bugle
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recapitulate, repeat, reprise, reprize
repeat an earlier theme of a composition
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slur
play smoothly or legato
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bang out
play loudly
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modulate
change the key of, in music
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tongue
articulate by tonguing, as when playing wind instruments
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double tongue, triple-tongue
play fast notes on a wind instrument
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type of:
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re-create
create anew
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play
- MLA
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A paragraph of text
Copy citationVocabulary lists containing spiel
When all the young people of their tiny Polish village emigrate to America, Ashmedai the demon eventually convinces Uriel the angel to follow them to the rumored Golden Land.
In this memoir, the author reveals how she and her twin sister survived the physical and emotional effects of a rare disfiguring condition called Crouzon Syndrome.
Check out these fun and challenging words that appeared as correct answers in Wordle in 2022.
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