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.
00:10
Say
is one of our favorite verbs.
So is absquatulate. Does it mean:
| to flee; abscond: |
| to run away hurriedly; flee. |
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
Idioms 16.
(used to express surprise, get attention, etc.)
Origin:
before 900; Middle English seyen, seggen, Old English secgan; cognate with Dutch zeggen, German sagen, Old Norse segja; akin to saw3
before 900; Middle English seyen, seggen, Old English secgan; cognate with Dutch zeggen, German sagen, Old Norse segja; akin to saw3
Related forms
say·er, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
noun
1.
2.
Thomas, 1787–1834, U.S. entomologist.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To say
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World English Dictionary
say1 (seɪ) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —vb , says, saying, said | |
| 1. | to speak, pronounce, or utter |
| 2. | (also intr) to express (an idea) in words; tell: we asked his opinion but he refused to say |
| 3. | (also intr; may take a clause as object) to state (an opinion, fact, etc) positively; declare; affirm |
| 4. | to recite: to say grace |
| 5. | (may take a clause as object) to report or allege: they say we shall have rain today |
| 6. | (may take a clause as object) to take as an assumption; suppose: let us say that he is lying |
| 7. | (may take a clause as object) to convey by means of artistic expression: the artist in this painting is saying that we should look for hope |
| 8. | to make a case for: there is much to be said for either course of action |
| 9. | (Irish) (usually passive) to persuade or coax (someone) to do something: If I hadn't been said by her, I wouldn't be in this fix |
| 10. | go without saying to be so obvious as to need no explanation |
| 11. | informal chiefly (Brit) I say! an exclamation of surprise |
| 12. | not to say even; and indeed |
| 13. | that is to say in other words; more explicitly |
| 14. | to say nothing of as well as; even disregarding: he was warmly dressed in a shirt and heavy jumper, to say nothing of a thick overcoat |
| 15. | to say the least without the slightest exaggeration; at the very least |
| —adv | |
| 16. | approximately: there were, say, 20 people present |
| 17. | for example: choose a number, say, four |
| —n | |
| 18. | the right or chance to speak: let him have his say |
| 19. | authority, esp to influence a decision: he has a lot of say in the company's policy |
| 20. | a statement of opinion: you've had your say, now let me have mine |
| —interj | |
| 21. | informal (US), (Canadian) an exclamation to attract attention or express surprise, etc |
| [Old English secgan; related to Old Norse segja, Old Saxon seggian, Old High German sagēn] | |
| 'sayer1 | |
| —n | |
| say2 (seɪ) | |
| —n | |
| archaic a type of fine woollen fabric | |
| [C13: from Old French saie, from Latin saga, plural of sagum a type of woollen cloak] | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
say
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.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Slang Dictionary
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.
Jargon
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FOLDOC
Computing Dictionary
say definition
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.
[Jargon File]
American Heritage
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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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Example sentences
One can say a lot of things on the findings that this article reports.
The researchers say it is too early to tell whether the lifestyle changes kept the cancer cells in check.
Despite their snapping, the gators show true teamwork, experts say.
The researchers say that gibbon vocalizations more closely resemble those of rainforest birds in both sound and purpose.
Slang
Idioms & Phrases
Nearby Words
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