Say (sā), obs. imp. of See. Saw. Chaucer.
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Say, v. t. To try; to assay. [Obs.] B. Jonson.
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Say, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Said (s&ebreve_;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. sagēn, G. sagen, Icel. segja, Sw. säga, Dan. sige, Lith. sakyti; cf. OL. insece tell, relate, Gr. 'ennepe (for 'en-sepe), 'espete. Cf. Saga, Saw a saying.] 1. To utter or express in words; to tell; to speak; to declare; as, he said many wise things.
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Arise, and say how thou camest here. Shak.
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2. To repeat; to rehearse; to recite; to pronounce; as, to say a lesson.
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Of my instruction hast thou nothing bated
In what thou hadst to say? Shak.
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After which shall be said or sung the following hymn. Bk. of Com. Prayer.
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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.
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But what it is, hard is to say. Milton.
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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.
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Say, for nonpayment that the debt should double,
Is twenty hundred kisses such a trouble? Shak.
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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.
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Say, n. [From Say, v. t.; cf. Saw a saying.] A speech; something said; an expression of opinion; a current story; a maxim or proverb. [Archaic or Colloq.]
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He no sooner said out his say, but up rises a cunning snap. L'Estrange.
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That strange palmer's boding say,
That fell so ominous and drear
Full on the object of his fear. Sir W. Scott.
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