Say Definition & Meaning

American

British

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Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms say 1 American [sey] / seɪ /

verb (used with object)

said, saying

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)

said, saying

1. to speak; declare; express an opinion.

adverb

1. approximately; about.

   It's, say, 14 feet long.

2. for example.

   If you serve, say tuna fish and potato chips, it will cost much less.

noun

1. what a person says or has to say.

2. the right or opportunity to speak, decide, or exercise influence.

   to have one's say in choosing the candidate.

3. a turn to say something.

   It is now my say.

interjection

1. (used to express surprise, get attention, etc.)

idioms

1. that is to say. that.

say 2 American [sey] / seɪ /

verb (used with object)

1. British Dialect. assay.

say 3 American [sey] / seɪ /

noun

1. a thin silk or woolen fabric similar to serge, much used in the 16th century.

Say 4 American [sey] / seɪ /

noun

1. Jean Baptiste 1767–1832, French economist.

2. Thomas, 1787–1834, U.S. entomologist.

say 1 British / seɪ /

verb

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. (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. to be so obvious as to need no explanation

11. informal an exclamation of surprise

12. even; and indeed

13. in other words; more explicitly

14. as well as; even disregarding

    he was warmly dressed in a shirt and heavy jumper, to say nothing of a thick overcoat

15. without the slightest exaggeration; at the very least

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adverb

1. approximately

   there were, say, 20 people present

2. for example

   choose a number, say, four

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

1. the right or chance to speak

   let him have his say

2. authority, esp to influence a decision

   he has a lot of say in the company's policy

3. a statement of opinion

   you've had your say, now let me have mine

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

interjection

1. informal an exclamation to attract attention or express surprise, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 say 2 British / seɪ /

noun

1. archaic a type of fine woollen fabric

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 say More Idioms

More idioms and phrases containing say

• I dare say
• I'll say
• before you can say Jack Robinson
• cry (say) uncle
• do as I say
• give (say) the word
• go without (saying)
• have a say in
• needless to say
• never say die
• never say never
• not to mention (say nothing of)
• on one's say-so
• said
• strange to say
• suffice it to say
• that is (to say)
• to say the least
• you can say that again
• you don't say

Other Word Forms

• sayer noun

Etymology

Origin of say1

First recorded before 900; Middle English seyen, seggen, Old English secgan; cognate with Dutch zeggen, German sagen, Old Norse segja; akin to saw 3

Origin of say2

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English saien, sayen, shortening of assaien, assayen to assay

Origin of say3

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English sai(e), a kind of serge, from Old French saie, saye “long-skirted coat,” from Medieval Latin saia, sagum, a kind of cloth, from Latin saga, plural of sagum “coarse woolen cloak, soldier's cloak,” from Gaulish sogom

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The bodies of two Chinese backpackers who went missing in floodwaters in Queensland have been recovered, Australian police have said.

From BBC

He said the team would continue their work at the Los Angeles location without him.

From BBC

Head of Radio 2 Helen Thomas said Tarbuck would be "hugely missed" and "we wish her the very best of luck for the future".

From BBC

"You will not be able to artificially lower the price of oil. Expect oil at $200 per barrel," the spokesperson said.

From BBC

The investigation "will focus on economies that we have evidence appear to exhibit structural excess capacity and production in various manufacturing sectors," Greer said.

From Barron's

Related Words

• add
• announce
• answer
• assert
• claim
• convey
• declare
• deliver
• disclose
• do
• estimate
• express
• maintain
• mention
• read
• repeat
• reply
• report
• respond
• reveal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.