Articulate, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Articulated; p. pr. & vb. n. Articulating].
1. To utter articulate sounds; to utter the elementary sounds of a language; to enunciate; to speak distinctly.
2. To treat or make terms. [Obs.] Shak.
3. To join or be connected by articulation.
3 other Webster entries under this spelling
Articulate, a.
1. Expressed in articles or in separate items or particulars. [Archaic] Bacon.
2. Jointed; formed with joints; consisting of segments united by joints; as, articulate animals or plants.
3. Distinctly uttered; spoken so as to be intelligible; characterized by division into words and syllables; as, articulate speech, sounds, words. Total changes of party and articulate opinion. Carlyle.
Articulate, n. (Zoöl.)
An animal of the subkingdom Articulata.
Articulate, v. t.
1. To joint; to unite by means of a joint; to put together with joints or at the joints.
2. To draw up or write in separate articles; to particularize; to specify. [Obs.]
3. To form, as the elementary sounds; to utter in distinct syllables or words; to enunciate; as, to articulate letters or language. "To articulate a word." Ray.
4. To express distinctly; to give utterance to. Luther articulated himself upon a process that hand already begun in the Christian church. Bibliotheca Sacra. To . . . articulate the dumb, deep want of the people. Carlyle.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for articulate; he lists it under speak.
He lists it without comment; the entries above explain its neighbors.