Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

say       (sā)  Pronunciation Key  v.   said (sěd), say·ing, says (sěz) v.   tr. To utter aloud; pronounce: The children said, "Good morning." To express in words: Say what's on your mind. To state as one's opinion or judgment; declare: I say let's eat out. To state as a determination of fact: It's hard to say who is right in this matter. To indicate; show: The clock says half past two. To give nonverbal expression to; signify or embody: It was an act that said "devotion." To repeat or recite: said grace. To report or maintain; allege. To indicate; show: The clock says half past two. To give nonverbal expression to; signify or embody: It was an act that said "devotion." To suppose; assume: Let's say that you're right. v.   intr. To make a statement; express oneself: The story must be true because the teacher said so. n.   A turn or chance to speak: Having had my say, I sat down. The right or power to influence or make a decision: Citizens have a say in the councils of government. All I want is some say in the matter. Archaic Something said; a statement. adv.   Approximately: There were, say, 500 people present. For instance: a woodwind, say an oboe. interj.   Used to express surprise or appeal for someone's attention. [Middle English seien, from Old English secgan; see sekw-3 in Indo-European roots.] say'er n.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
say  (v.)

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
say  (n.)

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

say
noun
1.	the chance to speak; "let him have his say"
verb
1.	express in words; "He said that he wanted to marry her"; "tell me what is bothering you"; "state your opinion"; "state your name" [syn: state]
2.	report or maintain; "He alleged that he was the victim of a crime"; "He said it was too late to intervene in the war"; "The registrar says that I owe the school money" [syn: allege]
3.	express a supposition; "Let us say that he did not tell the truth"; "Let's say you had a lot of money--what would you do?" [syn: suppose]
4.	have or contain a certain wording or form; "The passage reads as follows"; "What does the law say?" [syn: read]
5.	give instructions to or direct somebody to do something with authority; "I said to him to go home"; "She ordered him to do the shopping"; "The mother told the child to get dressed" [syn: order]
6.	speak, pronounce, or utter in a certain way; "She pronounces French words in a funny way"; "I cannot say 'zip wire'"; "Can the child sound out this complicated word?" [syn: pronounce]
7.	communicate or express nonverbally; "What does this painting say?"; "Did his face say anything about how he felt?"
8.	utter aloud; "She said 'Hello' to everyone in the office"
9.	state as one's opinion or judgement; declare; "I say let's forget this whole business"
10.	recite or repeat a fixed text; "Say grace"; "She said her 'Hail Mary'"
11.	indicate; "The clock says noon"

American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms - Cite This Source - Share This

say

In addition to the idioms beginning with say, also see before you can say Jack Robinson; cry (say) uncle; do as I say; give (say) the word; go without (saying); have a say in; I dare say; I'll say; needless to say; never say die; never say never; not to mention (say nothing of); on one's say-so; strange to say; suffice it to say; that is (to say); to say the least; you can say that again; you don't say. Also see under said.

Free On-line Dictionary of Computing - Cite This Source - Share This

say
A human may "say" things to a computer by typing them on a terminal. "To list a directory verbosely, say "ls -l"." Tends to imply a newline-terminated command (a "sentence").
A computer may "say" things to you, even if it doesn't have a speech synthesiser, by displaying them on a terminal in response to your commands. This usage often confuses mundanes.
[The Jargon File]

Jargon File - Cite This Source - Share This

say

vt.
1. To type to a terminal. "To list a directory verbosely, you have to say `ls -l'." Tends to imply a newline-terminated command (a `sentence').
2. A computer may also be said to `say' things to you, even if it doesn't have a speech synthesizer, by displaying them on a terminal in response to your commands. Hackers find it odd that this usage confuses mundanes.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Say

Say\ (s[=a]), obs. imp. of See. Saw. --Chaucer.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Say

Say\ (s[=a]), n. [Aphetic form of assay.]

1. Trial by sample; assay; sample; specimen; smack. [Obs.]

If those principal works of God . . . be but certain tastes and says, as it were, of that final benefit. --Hooker.

Thy tongue some say of breeding breathes. --Shak.

2. Tried quality; temper; proof. [Obs.]

He found a sword of better say. --Spenser.

3. Essay; trial; attempt. [Obs.]

To give a say at, to attempt. --B. Jonson.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Say

Say\, v. t. To try; to assay. [Obs.] --B. Jonson.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Say

Say\, n. [OE. saie, F. saie, fr. L. saga, equiv. to sagum, sagus, a coarse woolen mantle; cf. Gr. sa`gos. See Sagum.]

1. A kind of silk or satin. [Obs.]

Thou say, thou serge, nay, thou buckram lord! --Shak.

2. A delicate kind of serge, or woolen cloth. [Obs.]

His garment neither was of silk nor say. --Spenser.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Say

Say\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Said (s[e^]d), contracted from sayed; p. pr. & vb. n. Saying.] [OE. seggen, seyen, siggen, sayen, sayn, AS. secgan; akin to OS. seggian, D. zeggen, LG. seggen, OHG. sag[=e]n, G. sagen, Icel. segja, Sw. s["a]ga, Dan. sige, Lith. sakyti; cf. OL. insece tell, relate, Gr. 'e`nnepe (for 'en-sepe), 'e`spete. Cf. Saga, Saw a saying.]

1. To utter or express in words; to tell; to speak; to declare; as, he said many wise things.

Arise, and say how thou camest here. --Shak.

2. To repeat; to rehearse; to recite; to pronounce; as, to say a lesson.

Of my instruction hast thou nothing bated In what thou hadst to say? --Shak.

After which shall be said or sung the following hymn. --Bk. of Com. Prayer.

3. To announce as a decision or opinion; to state positively; to assert; hence, to form an opinion upon; to be sure about; to be determined in mind as to.

But what it is, hard is to say. --Milton.

4. To mention or suggest as an estimate, hypothesis, or approximation; hence, to suppose; -- in the imperative, followed sometimes by the subjunctive; as, he had, say fifty thousand dollars; the fox had run, say ten miles.

Say, for nonpayment that the debt should double, Is twenty hundred kisses such a trouble? --Shak.

It is said, or They say, it is commonly reported; it is rumored; people assert or maintain.

That is to say, that is; in other words; otherwise.

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Say

Say\, v. i. To speak; to express an opinion; to make answer; to reply.

You have said; but whether wisely or no, let the forest judge. --Shak.

To this argument we shall soon have said; for what concerns it us to hear a husband divulge his household privacies? --Milton.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Say

Say\, n. [From Say, v. t.; cf. Saw a saying.] A speech; something said; an expression of opinion; a current story; a maxim or proverb. [Archaic or Colloq.]

He no sooner said out his say, but up rises a cunning snap. --L'Estrange.

That strange palmer's boding say, That fell so ominous and drear Full on the object of his fear. --Sir W. Scott.