saying Hear it!

saying definition

say·ing (sā′iŋ)

noun

  1. the act of one who says
  2. something said; esp., an adage, proverb, or maxim

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

saying Synonyms

saying

modif.

mentioning, making clear, revealing, pointing out, giving out, remarking, noting, announcing, noticing, claiming, stating, affirming, maintaining, asserting, attesting to, certifying to, testifying to, alleging, informing, phrasing, stressing, demonstrating, averring, avouching, vouching, insisting on, publicizing, advertising, making public, swearing, implying, propounding, observing, drafting a proposition, making an announcement, making a statement, making a declaration.

go without saying

be obvious, be self-evident, need no justification.


saying

n.

aphorism, saw, adage, maxim, apothegm, epigram, gnome, byword, motto, proverb, precept, dictum.

saying is the simple, direct term for any pithy expression of wisdom or truth; a saw is an old, homely saying that is well worn by repetition the preacher filled his sermon with wise saws; a maxim is a general principle drawn from practical experience and serving as a rule of conduct (Ex.: ""Keep thy shop and thy shop will keep thee''); an adage is a saying that has been popularly accepted over a long period of time (Ex.: ""Where there's smoke, there's fire''); a proverb is a piece of practical wisdom expressed in homely, concrete terms (Ex.: ""A penny saved is a penny earned''); a motto is a maxim chosen to express a guiding principle or goal of a nation, group, etc. (Ex.: ""E pluribus unum'') or accepted as an ideal of behavior (Ex.: ""Honesty is the best policy''); an aphorism is a terse saying embodying a general, more or less profound truth or principle (Ex.: ""He is a fool that cannot conceal his wisdom''); an epigram is a terse, witty, pointed statement that often gains its effect by ingenious antithesis (Ex.: ""The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it'')


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

saying Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • prophet: The style of prayer is not mentioned in the Quran, only in the sayings of the prophet.

Converse of object

  • paraphrase: To paraphrase the old saying, the proof of the cleaving is in the living.

Adjective modifier

  • pithy: Often a pithy saying or proverb has been written in the chosen script beside the alphabet.

Noun used with modifier

  • wisdom: But Middle Eastern society ( as we have noted ) preserves orally thousands of such wisdom sayings.
saying usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

saying quotes

It was a saying of an ancient philosopher, which I find some of our writers have ascribed to Queen Elizabeth, who perhapsmight havetakenoccasionto repeat it, that a good face is a letter of recommendation.

-Addison,Joseph

This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

-Bible (NewTestament)

The worst thing is that we live in a contaminated moral environment.We fell morally ill because we became used to saying something different from what we thought.

-Havel,Va¤  clav

saying quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
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saying. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

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