says

[ sez ]

/ sɛz /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR says ON THESAURUS.COM

verb

3rd person singular present ind. of say¹.

Nearby words

Definition for says (2 of 4)

say

[ sey ]

/ seɪ /

verb (used with object), said, say·ing.

to utter or pronounce; speak: What did you say? I said “Hello!”

to express in words; state; declare; word: Say it clearly and simply. It's hard to know how to say this tactfully.

to state as an opinion or judgment: I say her plan is the better one.

to be certain, precise, or assured about; determine: It is hard to say what is wrong.

to recite or repeat: to say one's prayers.

to report or allege; maintain: People say he will resign.

to express (a message, viewpoint, etc.), as through a literary or other artistic medium: a writer with something to say.

to indicate or show: What does your watch say?

to assume as a hypothesis or estimate: Let's say, for the sake of argument, that it's true.

verb (used without object), said, say·ing.

to speak; declare; express an opinion.

adverb

approximately; about: It's, say, 14 feet long.

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

noun

what a person says or has to say.

the right or opportunity to speak, decide, or exercise influence: to have one's say in choosing the candidate.

a turn to say something: It is now my say.

interjection

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

Origin of say

before 900; Middle English seyen, seggen, Old English secgan; cognate with Dutch zeggen, German sagen, Old Norse segja; akin to saw³

Related formssay·er, noun

Definition for says (3 of 4)

say

[ sey ]

/ seɪ /

verb (used with object), noun British Dialect.

assay.

Origin of say

1350–1400; Middle English sayen, aphetic variant of assayen to assay

Definition for says (4 of 4)

say

[ sey ]

/ seɪ /

noun

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

Origin of say

1250–1300; Middle English < Old French saie < Latin saga, plural of sagum woolen cloak, said to be < Gaulish

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for says (1 of 2)

say

/ (seɪ) /

verb says (sɛz), saying or said (mainly tr)

to speak, pronounce, or utter

(also intr) to express (an idea) in words; tellwe asked his opinion but he refused to say

(also intr; may take a clause as object) to state (an opinion, fact, etc) positively; declare; affirm

to reciteto say grace

(may take a clause as object) to report or allegethey say we shall have rain today

(may take a clause as object) to take as an assumption; supposelet us say that he is lying

(may take a clause as object) to convey by means of artistic expressionthe artist in this painting is saying that we should look for hope

to make a case forthere is much to be said for either course of action

(usually passive) Irish to persuade or coax (someone) to do somethingIf I hadn't been said by her, I wouldn't be in this fix

go without saying to be so obvious as to need no explanation

I say! mainly British informal an exclamation of surprise

not to say even; and indeed

that is to say in other words; more explicitly

to say nothing of as well as; even disregardinghe was warmly dressed in a shirt and heavy jumper, to say nothing of a thick overcoat

to say the least without the slightest exaggeration; at the very least

adverb

approximatelythere were, say, 20 people present

for examplechoose a number, say, four

noun

the right or chance to speaklet him have his say

authority, esp to influence a decisionhe has a lot of say in the company's policy

a statement of opinionyou've had your say, now let me have mine

interjection

US and Canadian informal an exclamation to attract attention or express surprise, etc

Derived Formssayer, noun

Word Origin for say

Old English secgan; related to Old Norse segja, Old Saxon seggian, Old High German sagēn

British Dictionary definitions for says (2 of 2)

say

/ (seɪ) /

noun

archaic a type of fine woollen fabric

Word Origin for say

C13: from Old French saie, from Latin saga, plural of sagum a type of woollen cloak

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

Word Origin and History for says (1 of 3)

says

third person singular of say (v.), c.1300, eventually replacing saith.

Word Origin and History for says (1 of 3)

say

Old English secgan "to utter, inform, speak, tell, relate," from Proto-Germanic *sagjanan (cf. Old Saxon seggian, Old Norse segja, Danish sige, Old Frisian sedsa, Middle Dutch segghen, Dutch zeggen, Old High German sagen, German sagen "to say"), from PIE *sokwyo-, from root *sekw- (3) "to say, utter" (cf. Hittite shakiya- "to declare," Lithuanian sakyti "to say," Old Church Slavonic sociti "to vindicate, show," Old Irish insce "speech," Old Latin inseque "to tell say").

Past tense said developed from Old English segde. Not attested in use with inanimate objects (clocks, signs, etc.) as subjects before 1930. You said it "you're right" first recorded 1919; you can say that again as a phrase expressing agreement is recorded from 1942, American English. You don't say (so) as an expression of astonishment (often ironic) is first recorded 1779, American English.

Word Origin and History for says (2 of 3)

say

"what someone says," 1570s, from say (v.). Meaning "right or authority to influence a decision" is from 1610s. Extended form say-so is first recorded 1630s. Cf. Old English secge "speech."

Idioms and Phrases with says

say

In addition to the idioms beginning with say

say a mouthful
say grace
say one's piece
says who?
say the word
say uncle

also see:

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

Also see undersaid.

says

verb

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Nearby words

Definition for says (2 of 4)

say

verb (used with object), said, say·ing.

verb (used without object), said, say·ing.

adverb

noun

interjection

Origin of say

Definition for says (3 of 4)

say

verb (used with object), noun British Dialect.

Origin of say

Definition for says (4 of 4)

say

noun

Origin of say

British Dictionary definitions for says (1 of 2)

say

verb says (sɛz), saying or said (mainly tr)

adverb

noun

interjection

Word Origin for say

British Dictionary definitions for says (2 of 2)

say

noun

Word Origin for say

Word Origin and History for says (1 of 3)

says

Word Origin and History for says (1 of 3)

say

Word Origin and History for says (2 of 3)

say

Idioms and Phrases with says

say