spiel

[speel, shpeel] /spil, ʃpil/
noun
1.
a usually high-flown talk or speech, especially for the purpose of luring people to a movie, a sale, etc.; pitch.
verb (used without object)
2.
to speak extravagantly.
Origin
1890-95; (noun) < German Spiel or Yiddish shpil play, game; (v.) < German spielen or Yiddish shpiln to play, gamble
Examples from the web for spiel
  • Your personal statement should be a selling spiel about what a great candidate you are based on your experience.
  • Our standard spiel is to describe our work in the region.
British Dictionary definitions for spiel

spiel

/ʃpiːl/
noun
1.
a glib plausible style of talk, associated esp with salesmen
verb
2.
(intransitive) to deliver a prepared spiel
3.
(transitive) usually foll by off. to recite (a prepared oration)
Derived Forms
spieler, noun
Word Origin
C19: from German Spiel play
Word Origin and History for spiel
n.

"glib speech, pitch," 1896, probably from verb (1894) meaning "to speak in a glib manner," earlier "to play circus music" (1870), from German spielen "to play," from Old High German spilon (cognate with Old English spilian "to play"). The noun also perhaps from German Spiel "play, game."

Slang definitions & phrases for spiel

spiel

noun
  1. A barker's or hawker's persuasive talk (1896+)
  2. A speech meant to persuade by force and eloquence; a sales patter; line: I'll give his honor a spiel (1896+)
  3. An advertising monologue on radio or television (1940s+)

[fr German spielen, ''play'']