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that is to say

 - 6 dictionary results
That Is to Say
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say

1  [sey] verb, said, say⋅ing, adverb, noun, interjection
Use that is to 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
That Is to Say
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that

  [that; unstressed thuht] pronoun and adjective, plural those; adverb; conjunction
–pronoun
1. (used to indicate a person, thing, idea, state, event, time, remark, etc., as pointed out or present, mentioned before, supposed to be understood, or by way of emphasis): That is her mother. After that we saw each other.
2. (used to indicate one of two or more persons, things, etc., already mentioned, referring to the one more remote in place, time, or thought; opposed to this): This is my sister and that's my cousin.
3. (used to indicate one of two or more persons, things, etc., already mentioned, implying a contrast or contradistinction; opposed to this): This suit fits better than that.
4. (used as the subject or object of a relative clause, esp. one defining or restricting the antecedent, sometimes replaceable by who, whom, or which): the horse that he bought.
5. (used as the object of a preposition, with the preposition standing at the end of a relative clause): the farm that I spoke of.
6. (used in various special or elliptical constructions): fool that he is.
–adjective
7. (used to indicate a person, place, thing, or degree as indicated, mentioned before, present, or as well-known or characteristic): That woman is her mother. Those little mannerisms of hers make me sick.
8. (used to indicate the more remote in time, place, or thought of two persons, things, etc., already mentioned; opposed to this): This room is his and that one is mine.
9. (used to imply mere contradistinction; opposed to this): not this house, but that one.
–adverb
10. (used with adjectives and adverbs of quantity or extent) to the extent or degree indicated: that much; The fish was that big.
11. to a great extent or degree; very: It's not that important.
12. Dialect. (used to modify an adjective or another adverb) to such an extent: He was that weak he could hardly stand.
–conjunction
13. (used to introduce a subordinate clause as the subject or object of the principal verb or as the necessary complement to a statement made, or a clause expressing cause or reason, purpose or aim, result or consequence, etc.): I'm sure that you'll like it. That he will come is certain. Hold it up so that everyone can see it.
14. (used elliptically to introduce an exclamation expressing desire, a wish, surprise, indignation, or other strong feeling): Oh, that I had never been born!
—Idioms
15. at that,
a. in spite of something; nevertheless: Although perhaps too elaborate, it seemed like a good plan at that.
b. in addition; besides: It was a long wait, and an exasperating one at that.
16. that is, (by way of explanation, clarification, or an example); more accurately: I read the book, that is, I read most of it. Also, that is to say.
17. that's that, Informal. there is no more to be said or done; that is finished: I'm not going, and that's that!
18. that way, Informal. in love or very fond of (usually fol. by about or for): The star and the director are that way. I'm that way about coffee.
19. with that, following that; thereupon: With that, he turned on his heel and fled.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME; OE thæt (pronoun, adj., adv. and conj.), orig., neut. of se the; c. D dat, G das(s), ON that, Gk tó, Skt tad

Usage note:
4. When that introduces a relative clause, the clause is usually restrictive; that is, essential to the complete meaning of the sentence because it restricts or specifies the noun or pronoun it modifies. In the sentence The keys that I lost last month have been found, it is clear that keys referred to are a particular set. Without the that clause, the sentence The keys have been found would be vague and probably puzzling. That is used to refer to animate and inanimate nouns and thus can substitute in most uses for who(m) and which: Many of the workers that (or who) built the pyramids died while working. The negotiator made an offer that (or which) was very attractive to the union. Experienced writers choose among these forms not only on the basis of grammar and the kind of noun referred to but also on the basis of sound of the sentence and their own personal preference.
The relative pronoun that is sometimes omitted. Its omission as a subject is usually considered nonstandard, but the construction is heard occasionally even from educated speakers: A fellow (that) lives near here takes people rafting. Most often it is as an object that the relative pronoun is omitted. The omission almost always occurs when the dependent clause begins with a personal pronoun or a proper name: The mechanic (that) we take our car to is very competent. The films (that) Chaplin made have become classics. The omission of the relative pronoun as in the two preceding examples is standard in all varieties of speech and writing.
13. The conjunction that, which introduces a noun clause, is, like the relative pronoun that, sometimes omitted, often after verbs of thinking, saying, believing, etc.: She said (that) they would come in separate cars. He dismissed the idea (that) he was being followed. As with the omission of the relative pronoun, the omission of the conjunction almost always occurs when the dependent clause begins with a personal pronoun or with a proper name. This omission of the conjunction that occurs most frequently in informal speech and writing, but it is a stylistic option often chosen in more formal speech and writing.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To that is 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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Slang Dictionary
that

  1. mod.
    a stylistic replacement for the. (Especially in citizens band radio jargon and much daily colloquial speech. It is the pervasive overuse of this form that makes it notable as colloquial.) : Can you tell me where that next rest stop is?
  2. mod.
    a stylistic modifier of personal and place names and some other nouns that do not normally take modifiers. (Citizens band radio.) : How do I get to that Kansas City?
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Word Origin & History

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.

that 
O.E. þæt, neuter sing. of the demonstrative pronoun and adj. (corresponding to masc. se, fem. seo), from P.Gmc. *that, from PIE *tod-, extended form of demonstrative pronomial base *to- (cf. Skt. ta-, Lith., O.C.S. to, Gk. to "the," L. talis "such"). Cf. the. Emerged c.1200 as a demonstrative adj. with the breakdown of the O.E. grammatical gender system, perhaps by infl. of Fr. and L., which had demonstrative adjectives (O.E. did not). Slang that way "in love" first recorded 1929. That-a-way is recorded from 1839. "Take that," said while delivering a blow, is recorded from c.1425.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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