Hold forth

Behind him an excitable Frenchman was holding forth in declamatory style to a group of astonished residents.

The girls all liked to hear him talk. They often gathered in a little circle while he sat on a bench, and held forth to them, laughing.

[…]they did not like him coming round of an evening and drinking weak whisky-and-water while he held forth on railway debentures and corporation loans.

Warmed to the woman somewhat, I admit it. She holds forth like a man and smokes myrrhy cigarettes through a rhino-horn holder.