Say, v. t. [imp. & p. p.Said (sĕd), 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. sagēn, G. sagen, Icel. segja, Sw. säga, Dan. sige, Lith. sakyti; cf. OL. insece tell, relate, Gr. ἔννεπε (for εν̓-σεπε), ἔσπετε. 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, orThey say, it is commonly reported; it is rumored; people assert or maintain. — That is to say, that is; in other words; otherwise.