say
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: Appendix:Variations of "say"
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation, General American) enPR: sā, IPA(key): /seɪ/
- (Canada) enPR: sā, IPA(key): /seɪ/, [seː]
Audio (General American): (file) - Rhymes: -eɪ
Etymology 1
From Middle English seyen, seien, seggen, from Old English seċġan (“to say, speak”), from Proto-West Germanic *saggjan, from Proto-Germanic *sagjaną (“to say”), from Proto-Indo-European *sokʷ-h₁-yé-, a suffixed o-grade form of *sekʷ- (“to tell, talk”).
Cognate with West Frisian sizze (“to say”), Low German seggen (“to say”), Dutch zeggen (“to say”), German sagen (“to say”), Danish sige (“to say”), Norwegian Bokmål si (“to say”), Norwegian Nynorsk seia (“to say”), Swedish säga (“to say”), Yiddish זאָגן (zogn, “to say; to tell”).
The adverb and interjection are from the verb.
Alternative forms
Verb
say (third-person singular simple present says, present participle saying, simple past and past participle said)
- (transitive) To pronounce.
- Please say your name slowly and clearly.
- (transitive) To recite.
- Martha, will you say the Pledge of Allegiance?
- 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter VIII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC, pages 53-54:
- Then everybody once more knelt, and soon the blessing was pronounced. The choir and the clergy trooped out slowly, […], down the nave to the western door. […] At a seemingly immense distance the surpliced group stopped to say the last prayer.
- (transitive) To tell, either verbally or in writing.
- He said he would be here tomorrow.
- 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter IV, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC, page 46:
- No matter how early I came down, I would find him on the veranda, smoking cigarettes, or otherwise his man would be there with a message to say that his master would shortly join me if I would kindly wait.
- 1921, Ben Travers, chapter 1, in A Cuckoo in the Nest, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 1925, →OCLC:
- She was like a Beardsley Salome, he had said. And indeed she had the narrow eyes and the high cheekbone of that creature, and as nearly the sinuosity as is compatible with human symmetry. His wooing had been brief but incisive.
- 1967, Barbara Sleigh, Jessamy, Sevenoaks, Kent: Bloomsbury, published 1993, →ISBN, page 95:
- ‘All right,’ said Jessamy. ‘I say, Miss Brindle said she’d think about you coming to see the house some time. I said I was sure you weren’t the stone throwing kind, not at windows, I mean.’
- 2016, VOA Learning English (public domain)
- For more quotations using this term, see Citations:say.
- (transitive) To indicate in a written form.
- The sign says it’s 50 kilometres to Paris.
- (impersonal, transitive) To have a common expression; used in singular passive voice or plural active voice to indicate a rumor or well-known fact.
- They say "when in Rome, do as the Romans do", which means "behave as those around you do."
- 1815, George Gordon Byron, “They say that Hope is happiness”, in The Hebrew Melodies:
- They say that Hope is happiness; But genuine Love must prize the past.
- 1819, Great Britain Court of Chancery, Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the High Court of Chancery, page 8:
- It is said, a bargain cannot be set aside upon inadequacy only.
- 1841, Christopher Marshall, The Knickerbocker (New-York Monthly Magazine), page 379:
- It’s said that fifteen wagon loads of ready-made clothes for the Virginia troops came to, and stay in, town to-night.
- (informal, imperative, transitive) Suppose, assume; used to mark an example, supposition or hypothesis.
- A holiday somewhere warm – Florida, say – would be nice.
- Say he refuses. What do we do then?
- Say your family is starving and you don't have any money, is it okay to steal some food?
- 1984, Martin Amis, Money: a suicide note:
- I've followed Selina down the strip, when we're shopping, say, and she strolls on ahead, wearing sawn-off jeans and a wash-withered T-shirt […]
- For more quotations using this term, see Citations:say.
- (intransitive) To speak; to express an opinion; to make answer; to reply.
- c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii], page 195:
- You have said; but whether wisely or no, let the forest judge
- 1649, J[ohn] Milton, ΕΙΚΟΝΟΚΛΆΣΤΗΣ [Eikonoklástēs] […], London: […] Matthew Simmons, […], →OCLC, page 63:
- To this argument we shall soon have said; for what concerns it us to hear a husband divulge his household privacies?
- (transitive, informal, of a possession, especially money) To bet as a wager on an outcome; by extension, used to express belief in an outcome by the speaker.
- 2005, Ian McEwan, Saturday, page 192:
- 'My fifty pounds says three months after the invasion there'll be a free press in Iraq, and unmonitored internet access too.'
Conjugation
Synonyms
See also: Thesaurus:utter
Derived terms
- and so say all of us
- as I was saying
- as the saying goes
- as they say
- as who should say
- before you can say Jack Robinson
- before you can say knife
- besay
- can we say
- dare say
- dare-say
- dare-saying
- dessay
- do as I say and not as I do
- don't say gay
- doomsaying
- do you know what I'm saying
- easy for you to say
- enough said
- final say
- foresay
- forsay
- gainsay
- go without saying
- have a say
- have to say for oneself
- hear what I'm saying
- how do you say … in English
- how say you
- how you say
- I'd say
- if I do say so myself
- if I may say so
- if I say so myself
- if you don't mind me saying
- if you say so
- if you see something, say something
- I hear you say
- I'll say
- I must say
- I said what I said
- I say
- it doesn't matter what they say about you as long as they spell your name right
- it goes without saying
- it's not what you say but how you say it
- just saying
- just say no
- know what I'm saying
- let's not and say we did
- let's say
- mean to say
- nay-say
- need I say more
- needless to say
- never-say-die
- never say die
- never say never
- not to say
- or should I say
- oversay
- please say that again
- sad to say
- said no one ever
- saith
- say aah
- say again
- say boo
- say boo to a goose
- say bo to a goose
- say cheese
- sayer
- sayeth
- say goodbye
- say grace
- say hello to my little friend
- saying
- say it all
- say la vee
- say less
- say no
- say no more
- say none
- say nothing
- say one's piece
- say on pay
- say-so
- say someone's prayers
- say that
- say the quiet part loud
- say the quiet part out loud
- say the word
- say to oneself
- say uncle
- say wha
- say what
- say what you like
- say when
- say word one
- say yes
- say you swear
- shall I say
- shall we say
- so they say
- so to say
- strange to say
- sufficed to say
- suffice it to say
- suffice to say
- that is to say
- that's saying something
- that's what he said
- the deuce you say
- the devil you say
- the dickens you say
- the hell you say
- there is much to be said
- there isn't any easy way to say this
- they say
- those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those doing it
- though I say so myself
- to say nothing of
- to say the least
- unsay
- what can I say
- what do you say
- what say you
- what you saying
- withsay
- wouldn't you say
- yea-say
- you can say that again
- you can't say fairer than that
- you don't say
- you hear what I'm saying
- you know what I'm saying
- you know what they say
- you were saying
Translations
to say, to tell
|
to pronounce
| ||||
to recite
|
to communicate verbally or in writing
|
to indicate in a written form
|
to have a common expression
|
imperative: let's say
|
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked
|
Noun
say (plural says)
- A chance to speak; the right or power to influence or make a decision.
- 2004, Richard Rogers, Information politics on the Web:
- Above all, however, we would like to think that there is more to be decided, after the engines and after the humans have had their says.
- 2019 February 8, Kocha Olarn, Helen Regan, “This princess could be the next prime minister of Thailand”, in CNN International Edition, Cable News Network, retrieved 2019-02-08:
- He has consolidated the military's role in politics through an army-drafted 2017 constitution widely seen as designed to prevent Pheu Thai from returning to power and ensuring a continuing say for the army.
- 2019 March 22, Patpicha Tanakasempipat, Panarat Thepgumpanat, “Junta chief croons, ousted PM says 'we will win' in Thai election battle”, in Reuters, Reuters, retrieved 2019-03-23:
- Sunday’s general election has been cast as a high-stakes contest between democracy and military rule, but critics say a new army-backed constitution gives junta-appointed officials a large say in the next government.
Translations
chance to speak; right or power to influence or decide
|
Adverb
say (not comparable)
- For example; let us assume.
- Pick a color you think they'd like, say, peach.
- He was driving pretty fast, say, fifty miles per hour.
- 1894, T Miller, “Chapter 1”, in Over Five Seas and Oceans, From New York to Bangkok, Siam, and Return, New York: Albert Metz & Co., page 13:
- He was a very old man, and was heavy, say about 250 pounds.
Translations
Interjection
say
- (US, colloquial) Used to gain someone's attention before making an inquiry or suggestion
- Say, what did you think about the movie?
Synonyms
- (used to gain attention): hey
Translations
Translations
|
References
- “say”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
- “say”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
Etymology 2
From Middle French saie, from Latin saga, plural of sagum (“military cloak”).
Noun
say (countable and uncountable, plural says)
- A type of fine cloth similar to serge.
- 1579, Immeritô [pseudonym; Edmund Spenser], “August. Ægloga Octaua.”, in The Shepheardes Calender: […], London: […] Iohn Wolfe for Iohn Harrison the yonger, […], →OCLC, folio 32, recto:
- Per.[igot] VVell decked in a frocke of gray, / Will.[y] hey ho, gray is greet, / Per. And in a kirtle of greene ſaye, / Will. the greene is for maydens meete.
- 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto IV”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, page 53:
- All in a kirtle of diſcolourd ſay / He clothed was […]
Etymology 3
Aphetic form of assay.
Verb
say (third-person singular simple present says, present participle saying, simple past and past participle sayed)
- To try; to assay.
- 1600 (first performance), Beniamin Ionson [i.e., Ben Jonson], “Cynthias Reuels, or The Fountayne of Selfe-Loue. […]”, in The Workes of Beniamin Ionson (First Folio), London: […] Will[iam] Stansby, published 1616, →OCLC, Act IV, scene i:
- I, that had sayed on one of his customers sutes.
Noun
say (plural says)
- Trial by sample; assay; specimen.
- 1594–1597, Richard Hooker, edited by J[ohn] S[penser], Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], London: […] Will[iam] Stansby [for Matthew Lownes], published 1611, →OCLC, (please specify the page):, page 193
- If those principal works of God […] be but certain tastes and says, as if were, of that final benefit.
- c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii], page 308:
- Thy tongue some say of breeding breathes.
- Tried quality; temper; proof.
- 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book VI, Canto XI”, in The Faerie Queene. […], part II (books IV–VI), London: […] [Richard Field] for William Ponsonby, →OCLC, stanza 47, page 505:
- He found a sword of better say.
- Essay; trial; attempt.
- 1610 (first performance), Ben[jamin] Jonson, The Alchemist, London: […] Thomas Snodham, for Walter Burre, and are to be sold by Iohn Stepneth, […], published 1612, →OCLC, (please specify the Internet Archive page), (please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
- This fellow, Captaine, Will come, in time, to be a great distiller, And giue a say […] at the philosophers stone.
Etymology 4
Noun
say (plural says)
Anagrams
Etymology 1
Noun
say (definite accusative sayı, plural saylar)
Etymology 2
From Proto-Turkic *say.
Noun
say (definite accusative sayı, plural saylar)
Declension
| Possessive forms of say | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | ||||||||
| singular | plural | |||||||
| mənim (“my”) | sayım | saylarım | ||||||
| sənin (“your”) | sayın | sayların | ||||||
| onun (“his/her/its”) | sayı | sayları | ||||||
| bizim (“our”) | sayımız | saylarımız | ||||||
| sizin (“your”) | sayınız | saylarınız | ||||||
| onların (“their”) | sayı or sayları | sayları | ||||||
| accusative | ||||||||
| singular | plural | |||||||
| mənim (“my”) | sayımı | saylarımı | ||||||
| sənin (“your”) | sayını | saylarını | ||||||
| onun (“his/her/its”) | sayını | saylarını | ||||||
| bizim (“our”) | sayımızı | saylarımızı | ||||||
| sizin (“your”) | sayınızı | saylarınızı | ||||||
| onların (“their”) | sayını or saylarını | saylarını | ||||||
| dative | ||||||||
| singular | plural | |||||||
| mənim (“my”) | sayıma | saylarıma | ||||||
| sənin (“your”) | sayına | saylarına | ||||||
| onun (“his/her/its”) | sayına | saylarına | ||||||
| bizim (“our”) | sayımıza | saylarımıza | ||||||
| sizin (“your”) | sayınıza | saylarınıza | ||||||
| onların (“their”) | sayına or saylarına | saylarına | ||||||
| locative | ||||||||
| singular | plural | |||||||
| mənim (“my”) | sayımda | saylarımda | ||||||
| sənin (“your”) | sayında | saylarında | ||||||
| onun (“his/her/its”) | sayında | saylarında | ||||||
| bizim (“our”) | sayımızda | saylarımızda | ||||||
| sizin (“your”) | sayınızda | saylarınızda | ||||||
| onların (“their”) | sayında or saylarında | saylarında | ||||||
| ablative | ||||||||
| singular | plural | |||||||
| mənim (“my”) | sayımdan | saylarımdan | ||||||
| sənin (“your”) | sayından | saylarından | ||||||
| onun (“his/her/its”) | sayından | saylarından | ||||||
| bizim (“our”) | sayımızdan | saylarımızdan | ||||||
| sizin (“your”) | sayınızdan | saylarınızdan | ||||||
| onların (“their”) | sayından or saylarından | saylarından | ||||||
| genitive | ||||||||
| singular | plural | |||||||
| mənim (“my”) | sayımın | saylarımın | ||||||
| sənin (“your”) | sayının | saylarının | ||||||
| onun (“his/her/its”) | sayının | saylarının | ||||||
| bizim (“our”) | sayımızın | saylarımızın | ||||||
| sizin (“your”) | sayınızın | saylarınızın | ||||||
| onların (“their”) | sayının or saylarının | saylarının | ||||||
Noun
say
Declension
References
- Mirjejev, V. A., Usejinov, S. M. (2002) Ukrajinsʹko-krymsʹkotatarsʹkyj slovnyk [Ukrainian – Crimean Tatar Dictionary], Simferopol: Dolya, →ISBN
Noun
say
- Alternative form of assay
Verb
say
Noun
say
Verb
say
Etymology
From Proto-Vietic *p-riː (“drunk”); cognate with Muong khay, Arem pərɪː.
Pronunciation
Adjective
say • (𫑹)
- drunk; intoxicated; inebriated
- Synonym: xỉn
- suffering motion sickness
- say tàu/xe/sóng ― trainsick/carsick/seasick
- (literary) engrossed, especially in love
- say tình ― madly in love; enamored
Derived terms
Adverb
say • (𫑹)
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