say Hear it!

say Definition

say (sā)

transitive verb said, say′·ing, sayssez

  1. to utter, pronounce, or speak
  2. to express in words; state; declare; tell
  3. to state positively, with assurance, or as an opinion who can say what will be?
  4. to indicate or show the clock says ten
  5. to recite; repeat to say one's prayers
  6. to estimate; assume; hypothesize he is, I'd say, forty
  7. to allege; report people say he's angry
  8. to communicate (an idea, feeling, etc.) a painting that says nothing

Etymology: ME seien (< orig. 3d pers. sing., pres. indic.), seggen < OE secgan, akin to sagu, a saying, tale (ON saga), Ger sagen, to say < IE base *sekw-, to note, see, show, say (> see, L inseque (imper.), tell!), orig., to follow > L sequi

intransitive verb

to make a statement; speak; express an opinion

noun

  1. a chance to speak to have one's say
  2. power or authority, as to make or help make a final decision: often with the
  3. Archaic what a person says; dictum

adverb

  1. for example any fish, say perch
  2. about; nearly costing, say, 10 dollars

used to express surprise, admiration, etc., or to get someone's attention

say Related Forms

say′er noun

say Idioms

go without saying

to be too obvious to need explanation; be self-evident

that is to say

in other words; that means

to say the least

to understate

you can say that again!

Informal I agree with you!

say Synonyms

say

v.

tell, speak, relate, state, announce, remark, pronounce, declare, state positively, open one's mouth, have one's say, fling off, have one's ear, break silence, find words to express, rise to the occasion, put forth, let out, assert, maintain, express oneself, opine, answer, respond, reply, suppose, assume.

to say the least

at a minimum, at the very least, to put it mildly, minimally.

say Usage Examples

Object

  • something: He said something similar about those who kill the believers.
  • goodbye: The last time this had happened, Marks was dead, and Sparks was saying goodbye.
  • anything: Wishing was a showstopper and I can't really say anything which she did less well.
  • nothing: He would say nothing about the organization of mental health.
  • hello: In conclusion can I say hello to all my friends in GA everywhere.
  • yesterday: Its leadership in expanded range of that and we can get a. Software applications for defending its turf newspaper said yesterday.

Preposition: on

label: Straight Up Funk Go Go Style " is what is says on the label and that�s what you get here.

Preposition: that

  • government: Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, John Kachamila, said that the government had received as much as legally possible.
  • decision: He said that the decision to remake the 2003 TV drama did not betray a poverty of imagination.

Noun phrase with adjective complement

stupid: President Milosevic, in apparent disbelief that anybody could say something so stupid, asked the question again.

Adjective modifier

final: They have no final say in the decision to give you an award and a high ranking from them does not guarantee success.

Adjective complement

  • sorry: He sent a note of apology with a £ 5 note to Philadelphia police and phoned to say sorry.
  • more: Should sex education in schools say more about homosexuality?

Used with why or when

  • what: Unfortunately, he doesn't say what these other issues are.
  • that: It went too far to say that believed and averred should not be used when the averment was material to a partyâs case.
  • which: The scammed can generous gift said which bought the.
  • when: Moss said when questioned at a party about her fur coat, " I wear what I want to wear.

Infinitive complement

have: In the potting shed a butler is said to have hanged himself from the rafters.

Present participle complement

regard: What the report said regarding copyright and licensing is still valid.

Preposition: in

kestrel: Jolen says in kestrel, " You's my fire.

Browse dictionary entries near say

  1. ‹ saxtuba
  2. ‹ saxophone
  3. ‹ Saxony-Anhalt
  4. ‹ Saxony
  5. ‹ Saxonism
  6. ‹ Saxon
  7. ‹ Saxo Grammaticus
  8. ‹ saxitoxin
  9. ‹ saxifrage
  10. ‹ saxicolous
  1. say-so ›
  2. Sayan Mountains ›
  3. Sayers ›
  4. saying ›
  5. sayonara ›
  6. says ›
  7. sayyid ›
  8. sb ›
  9. SBA ›
  10. SbE ›