Say \Say\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Said (s[e^]d), contracted from
sayed; p. pr. & vb. n. Saying.]
[OE. seggen, seyen, siggen,
sayen, sayn, AS. secgan; akin to OS. seggian, D. zeggen, LG.
seggen, OHG. sag[=e]n, G. sagen, Icel. segja, Sw. s["a]ga,
Dan. sige, Lith. sakyti; cf. OL. insece tell, relate, Gr.
'e`nnepe (for 'en-sepe), 'e`spete. Cf. Saga, Saw a
saying.]
1. To utter or express in words; to tell; to speak; to
declare; as, he said many wise things.
Arise, and say how thou camest here. --Shak.
2. To repeat; to rehearse; to recite; to pronounce; as, to
say a lesson.
Of my instruction hast thou nothing bated In what
thou hadst to say? --Shak.
After which shall be said or sung the following
hymn. --Bk. of Com.
Prayer.
3. To announce as a decision or opinion; to state positively;
to assert; hence, to form an opinion upon; to be sure
about; to be determined in mind as to.
But what it is, hard is to say. --Milton.
4. To mention or suggest as an estimate, hypothesis, or
approximation; hence, to suppose; -- in the imperative,
followed sometimes by the subjunctive; as, he had, say
fifty thousand dollars; the fox had run, say ten miles.
Say, for nonpayment that the debt should double, Is
twenty hundred kisses such a trouble? --Shak.
It is said, or They say, it is commonly reported; it is
rumored; people assert or maintain.
That is to say, that is; in other words; otherwise.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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