say

Definitions

1. 1.Trial by sample; assay; sample; specimen; smack. [Obs.] if those principal works of God . . . be but certain tastes and saus, as if were, of that final benefit. Hooker. Thy tongue some say of breeding breathes. Shak.
2. 2.Tried quality; temper; proof. [Obs.] he found a sword of better say. Spenser.
3. 3.Essay; trial; attempt. [Obs.] To give a say at, to attempt. B. Jonson.
4. 4.To try; to assay. [Obs.] B. Jonson.
5. 5.A kind of silk or satin. [Obs.] Thou say, thou serge, nay, thou buckram lord! Shak.
6. 6.A delicate kind of serge, or woolen cloth. [Obs.] His garment neither was of silk nor say. Spenser.
7. 7.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.
8. 8.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.
9. 9.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.
10. 10.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.
11. 11.To speak; to express an opinion; to make answer; to reply. You have said; but whether wisely or no, let the forest judge. Shak. To this argument we shall soon have said; for what concerns it us to hear a husband divulge his household privacies Milton.
12. 12.A speech; something said; an expression of opinion; a current story; a maxim or proverb. [Archaic or Colloq.] He no sooner said out his say, but up rises a cunning snap. L'Estrange. That strange palmer's boding say, That fell so ominous and drear Full on the object of his fear. Sir W. Scott.

Source: Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).

Synonyms

Related questions

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Reverse-dictionary questions

Definition-first questions whose answer is say.

• What is tried quality; temper; proof. [Obs.] he found a sword of better say. Spenser called?
• What is essay; trial; attempt. [Obs.] To give a say at, to attempt. B. Jonson called?
• What is a kind of silk or satin. [Obs.] Thou say, thou serge, nay, thou buckram lord! Shak called?
• What is a delicate kind of serge, or woolen cloth. [Obs.] His garment neither was of silk nor say. Spenser called?
• What is 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 called?
• What is 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 called?