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say

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say

1  [sey] verb, said, say⋅ing, adverb, noun, interjection
Use say in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to utter or pronounce; speak: What did you say? I said “Hello!”
2. to express in words; state; declare; word: Say it clearly and simply. It's hard to know how to say this tactfully.
3. to state as an opinion or judgment: I say her plan is the better one.
4. to be certain, precise, or assured about; determine: It is hard to say what is wrong.
5. to recite or repeat: to say one's prayers.
6. to report or allege; maintain: People say he will resign.
7. to express (a message, viewpoint, etc.), as through a literary or other artistic medium: a writer with something to say.
8. to indicate or show: What does your watch say?
9. to assume as a hypothesis or estimate: Let's say, for the sake of argument, that it's true.
–verb (used without object)
10. to speak; declare; express an opinion.
–adverb
11. approximately; about: It's, say, 14 feet long.
12. for example: If you serve, say tuna fish and potato chips, it will cost much less.
–noun
13. what a person says or has to say.
14. the right or opportunity to speak, decide, or exercise influence: to have one's say in choosing the candidate.
15. a turn to say something: It is now my say.
–interjection
16. (used to express surprise, get attention, etc.)
—Idiom
17. that is to say, that is what is meant; in other words: I believe his account of the story, that is to say, I have no reason to doubt it.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME seyen, seggen, OE secgan; c. D zeggen, G sagen, ON segja; akin to saw 3

Related forms:
sayer, noun
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say

2  [sey]
–verb (used with object), noun British Dialect.
assay.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME sayen, aph. var. of assayen to assay

say

3  [sey]
–noun
a thin silk or woolen fabric similar to serge, much used in the 16th century.
Origin:
1250–1300; ME < OF saie < L saga, pl. of sagum woolen cloak, said to be < Gaulish

Say

  [sey]
–noun
1. Jean Bap⋅tiste  [zhahn ba-teest] , 1767–1832, French economist. Compare Say's law.
2. Thomas, 1787–1834, U.S. entomologist.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To say
say   (sā)   
v.   said (sěd), say·ing, says (sěz)

v.   tr.

  1. To utter aloud; pronounce: The children said, "Good morning."

  2. To express in words: Say what's on your mind.

    1. To state as one's opinion or judgment; declare: I say let's eat out.

    2. To state as a determination of fact: It's hard to say who is right in this matter.

    3. To indicate; show: The clock says half past two.

    4. To give nonverbal expression to; signify or embody: It was an act that said "devotion."

  4. To repeat or recite: said grace.

  5. To report or maintain; allege.

    1. To indicate; show: The clock says half past two.

    2. To give nonverbal expression to; signify or embody: It was an act that said "devotion."

  7. 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.  

  1. A turn or chance to speak: Having had my say, I sat down.

  2. 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.

  3. Archaic Something said; a statement.

adv.  

  1. Approximately: There were, say, 500 people present.

  2. 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.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

say  (v.)
O.E. secgan "to utter, say," from P.Gmc. *sagjanan (cf. O.S. seggian, O.N. segja, O.Fris. sedsa, M.Du. segghen, Du. zeggen, O.H.G. sagen, Ger. sagen "to say"), from PIE *sokei-, probably from base *seq- "point out" (cf. Hitt. shakiya- "to declare," Lith. sakyti "to say," O.C.S. sociti "to vindicate, show," O.Ir. insce "speech," O.Latin inseque "to tell say"). Past tense said developed from O.E. segde. Not attested in use with inanimate objects (clocks, signs, etc.) as subjects before 1930. You said it "you're right" first recorded 1919; you can say that again as a phrase expressing agreement is recorded from 1942, Amer.Eng. You don't say (so) as an expression of astonishment (often ironic) is first recorded 1779, Amer.Eng.

say  (n.)
"what someone says," 1571, from say (v.). Extended form say-so is first recorded 1637. Saying "utterance, recitation, act of the verb 'say' " is recorded from c.1300; meaning "something that has been said" (usually by someone thought important) is from c.1303; sense of "a proverb" is first attested c.1450.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Computing Dictionary

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]

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2007 Denis Howe
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Idioms & Phrases

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.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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