| 释义 |
▪ I. say, n.1|seɪ|
Forms: 5–6 saye, 6 seeay, seye, see, sea, 6–7 saie, 6–8 sey, 3– say.
[a. F. saie fem. = Pr. saia, Sp. saya, Pg. saia, It. saja:—L. saga pl. of sagum military cloak.]
1. a. A cloth of fine texture resembling serge; in the 16th c. sometimes partly of silk, subsequently entirely of wool.
1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 8013 As is chanberlein him broȝte ar he aros aday Amorewe uor to werie a peire hosen of say. c1440Promp. Parv. 440/2 Say, clothe, sagum. 1519Nottingham Rec. III. 354 A kyrtylle of sylke seeay. 1538Starkey England i. iii. 94 Fyne clothys, says and sylkys, bedys, combys, gyrdyllys and knyfys. 1590Spenser F.Q. iii. xii. 8 His garment nether was of silke nor say But [etc.]. 1659J. Cleaveland Revived 68 Saw you the Cloak at Church to day, The long worne short Cloak lin'd with Say? 1728Chambers Cycl. s.v., Say, or Saye,..a very light crossed stuff, all wool; much used abroad for linings, and by the religious for shirts; and with us, by the quakers, for aprons, for which purpose it is usually dyed green. 1778Eng. Gazetteer (ed. 2) s.v. Colchester, It is principally noted for the manufacture of baizes and seys; for the support of which there is a corporation, called the governors of Dutch-baize-hall. 1862Catal. Internat. Exhib. II. xxi. No. 3964 Worsted goods: merinos, says, shalloons, &c.
†b. The thread or yarn from which the material is woven. Obs.
1714Fr. Bk. of Rates 85 Yarn ordinary p. 100 weight 07 00... Ditto Sayes per 100 weight 03 00.
¶2. In erroneous uses.
a. Used by Wyclif to render the cognate L. sagum, in the Vulgate with the sense of curtain.
b. Used to render F. soie silk.
c1380Sir Ferumb. 213 Olyuer tok his mantel of say [Fr. son bliaut de soie]. 1388Wyclif Exod. xxvi. 7 Also thou schalt make enleuene saies [Vulg. saga cilicina undecim] to kyuere the hilyng of the tabernacle; the length of o say schal haue thretti cubitis. 1601Holland Pliny I. 323 This is the making of that fine Say, whereof silk cloth is made [Fr. version: Et c'est comme se fait la soye].
3. attrib. and Comb., as say apron, say curtain, say doublet, say petticoat; say-maker, say-making, say-mill, say-weaver; also say-cast = cow-tail 2; † say man, a maker or seller of say; † say-thicker, a fuller of say.
1724Ramsay Tea-t. Misc. (1733) I. 89 And ye's get a green *sey apron And wastcoat of the London brown.
1940Chambers's Techn. Dict. 742/2 *Say-cast, the coarse part of a fleece, at the tail end. 1945[see cow-tail 2].
1531Rec. St. Mary at Hill 352 Paid for mending of the *Say Curtens in þe quere, ij d.
1541Test. Ebor. (Surtees) VI. 144 One *say dublett.
1654in Cal. St. Papers, Irel., Adventurers (1903) 333 Isaac Key..*say-maker [delivered] three pieces of coloured sayes.
1632Contin. Foxe's A. & M. 32/2 Following the trade of *Say-making.
1488–9in Finchale Priory Charters, etc. (Surtees) p. ccclxxxiii, Et solvit Johanni Francis, *sayman, pro lez hallyngs de sago viridi.
1904Essex Rev. July 154 To the south of the Church [of Dedham] stands a picturesque old Bay and *Say mill.
1636Davenant Wits v. i, I have nothing on my Bed at home, But a thin Coverlet, and my wives *Sey Petti-coat.
1641Short Relat. Soap-Business 18 Diers, Wool-Combers, *Saye-Thickers, and the like.
1644Canterbury Marriage Licences (MS.), Peter de Graue..*say-weaver.
▪ II. † say, n.2 Obs.
Forms: 4–9 say, 5–6 saye, 6 saie, seye, 6–8 sey.
[Aphetic form of assay n. It is often uncertain whether the word intended was assay or say with indefinite article.]
1. The action of testing the quality, fitness of a person or thing; = assay n. 1. In later use only Sc., a probation.
a1400R. Brunne's Chron. Wace (Rolls) 4028 (Petyt MS.) [Þe note he couþe of alle layes,] & mynstralcie all þe saies [v.r. al þer assayes]. c1400Destr. Troy 8063 There is no hope so vnhappy, þat hastes to noght, Ne so vnsikur at a say, as to set vppon wemen! 1637–50Row Hist. Kirk (Wodrow Soc.) 299, I have alreadie given him to the Duke of Bulloigne..but if that had not been, it might have been that yee should had a sey of him, but now it cannot be helped. 1733P. Lindsay Interest Scot. 59 The Publick can suffer little by his Admission without a Sey; if he does not work well and cheap he'll find no Business.
2. Trial; trouble; tribulation. = assay n. 2.
1568Satir. Poems Reform. xxxi. 78 For than ȝe knew thay wer ȝour fais, Bot now thay cum in freindis clais, Quhilk is ane sairer sey.
3. Experiment. to set (something) in a say, to make experiment of. = assay n. 3.
1390Gower Conf. I. 229 Of suche men that now aday This vice setten in a say.
4. The testing of metals, in order to ascertain their standard of purity. = assay n. 6.
1577–87Holinshed Chron. III. 1262/1 A piece of a blacke stone,..which being brought to certeine goldfiners in London to make a saie thereof, found it to hold gold. 1604E. G[rimstone] D'Acosta's Hist. Indies iv. iv. 215 They cannot transport it [gold] from the Indies, for they can neither custome it, marke it, nor take say, vntill it be molten. 1669Ld. Sandwich tr. Barba's Metals i. (1674) 121 All the Mines..in that Province have been found out, and first taken say of, by the Spaniards.
5. Venery. Trial of grease. = assay n. 9.
c1611Chapman Iliad xix. 246 There, hauing brought the Bore, Atrides with his knife tooke sey. 1686R. Blome Gentl. Recr. ii. 84 Then having sounded the Mot, or Morts, he that is to break him up (that is, to take say,) first, slits the Skin [etc.]. 1817J. Mayer Sportsman's Direct. (ed. 2) 159 The first that is in cuts his throat, and takes say, which is, opening his belly, to see how fat he [a stag or buck] is.
b. concr. The cut in the flesh made in the process of taking say. ? Erroneous use: but cf. sense 9.
1855Kingsley Westw. Ho! viii, You may lay your two fingers into the say there, and not get to the bottom of the fat.
6. A trial of food by taste or smell. = assay n. 10.
c1440in Househ. Ord. (1790) 471 Take the laumpray, and wassh hym twyse or thries in lewe water,..sethe hym, and he schal be fresshe ynogh at a say. 1565Cooper Thesaurus, Degusto,..to taste: to take a little saye. 1639Massinger Unnat. Combat iii. i, He ne're observ'd you..take A say of venison, or stale fowle by your nose.
7. The act of tasting food or drink before presenting it to a person of high rank. = assay n. 12.
1470Henry Wallace viii. 1274 A say scho tuk off all thyng at thai brocht. 1525Ld. Berners Froiss. II. clxxxviii. 575 We toke the saye in the presence of the kinge. 1591G. Fletcher Russe Commw. xxvi. 109 The taster..deliuereth it [sc. the cup] vnto him with a say, when hee calleth for it. 1647Stapylton Juvenal 102 Let your wise guardians, e're you drink, take say. 1691Wood Ath. Oxon. II. 519 The Kings dishes were brought up cover'd, the say was given, and all things were performed with satisfaction in that point.
b. fig.
1549Coverdale, etc. Erasm. Par. Heb. vi. 1–6 Now (as it were) to take a saye & foretaste of the power of y⊇ worlde to come. 1600Holland Livy v. xii. 188 Neither as yet is it for certaine knowne, why he..was counted a meet man to have handsell, or take sey of this new dignitie.
8. An attempt, an endeavour. = assay n. 13.
1568T. Howell Arb. Amitie (1879) 45 Thus seeke all sayes hir sore to salue, by good and honest way. 1610B. Jonson Alch. i. iii, This fellow, Captaine, Will come, in time, to be a great distiller, And giue a say..at the philosophers stone. 1637C. Dow Answ. to H. Burton 212 To discover and prevent this their purpose before it had under⁓mined the present government of the Church, as no question it would have given a good say to it, if it had without controule proceeded as it began.
9. A trial specimen; a sample. = assay n. 17.
1530Tindale Answ. More Wks. (1573) 279/2 To geue you a say or a taste what truth shall follow, he fayneth a letter sent from no man. 1656in Irving Hist. Dumbarton. (1860) 535 Item, that neither prentis nor ither personne of the said craft be suffered to sett up ane bothe nor work in the said burgh till first he offers his sey to the said deacon and be fund worthy and able to be ane maister of the said craft.
10. Temper of metal. = assay n. 18.
1596Spenser F.Q. vi. xi. 47 A sword of better say.
11. attrib. and Comb., as (sense 7) say-taking; say-box, the chest in which coins are deposited at the Mint for future examination at the Trial of the Pyx; say-master = assay-master; say-piece, anything chosen as an example of excellence.
1532Ld. Treas. Acc. Scotl. VI. 103 To ane smytht for the of taking of the lok of the *say box. 1641in R. W. Cochran-Patrick Rec. Coinage Scotl. (1876) I. Introd. 30 Item that the say box belong to him when it is broken vp quhich will not be much because that it conteins bot ane quartre of euerie say piece.
1721Strype Eccl. Mem. II. ii. iii. 266 The treasurer, comptroller and *seymaster of the late erected mints. 1680Boyle Scept. Chem. vi. 401 This Gentleman having brought that Earth to the publick Say-Masters [etc.]. 1641*Say piece [see above]. a1774Fergusson Ode to Gowdspink Poems (1845) 20 Nae mair the rainbow can impart Sic glowin' ferlies o' her art, Whose pencil wrought its freaks at will On thee, the sey-piece o' her skill. 1788in Shirrefs's Poems (1790) 341 With something of the comic vis, And, for a say-piece, not amiss.
1540St. Papers Hen. VIII, VIII. 508 The Frenche King, and She also, was at the making seasoning and *saye taking of the said pasties. 1627Hakewill Apol. iv. x. §2 (1630) 430 Dinner and supper was served in with all accustomed ceremonies, as sewing, water, grace, carving, say taking, &c.
▪ III. † say, n.3 Obs. exc. dial.
Also 6, 9 sey, 8 cea, 9 sae.
[Northern a. ON. sá-r cask (Sw. så, Da. saa, bucket), corresp. to OE. saa ‘libitorium’ (? read libatorium) in the Corpus Gloss. The midland form is soe.]
A bucket for domestic or other use, with two ears through which a pole may be passed as a handle.
1426Sc. Acts Jas. I (1814) II. 12/2 Of þe samyn wyse [thair be ordanit] thre or four says to þe commoun vse. 1564Wills & Inv. N.C. (Surtees 1835) 223, ij sayes & a chayre, xijd. 1609Churchw. Acc. Pittington (Surtees) 60 Item payed to James Rennet son for a say, iij s. 1752Rec. Elgin (New Spald. Club 1903) I. 464 All tubs, ceas, kirns, kits, stoups, cogs and other cooper work. 1892G. Stewart Shetland Fireside Tales (ed. 2) 247 She..set every tub an' sey 'at she could fin.
▪ IV. say, n.4|seɪ|
[f. say v.1]
1. What a person says; words as compared with actions; also, a saying, dictum. Obs. exc. poet.
1571Satir. Poems Reform. xxix. 30 Ȝor deid is not lyk ȝor say. a1586Ibid. xxxvii. 39 Bot, gif þei see ȝe sussie of þair sais, Blasone þai will, how ever ȝe behaue ȝou. 1644Featly Roma Ruens 1 This hath been the say of all hereticks and schismaticks. 1741Richardson Pamela (1824) I. 158 The poor woman has so little purity of heart, that it [the talk] is all say from her, and goes no farther than the ear. 1741W. Wilson Cont. Def. Reform. Ch. Scotl. 87 The bare Say of Ministers..does not bind the Consciences of Church-members. 1872Tennyson Gareth & Lynette 337 No boon is here, But justice, so thy say be proven true. 1885Lyall Anc. Arab. Poetry 21 There rises a lord, to say the say, and do the deeds, of the noble. 1896A. E. Housman Shropshire Lad lvii, You hearken to the lover's say, And happy is the lover.
2. A current saying, proverb, saw. Now chiefly Sc.
1602Marston Ant. & Mel. iii. Wks. 1856 I. 39 Tis an old say, Tis an old horse can neither wighy, nor wagge his taile. c1648–50R. Brathwait Barnabees Jrnl. iv. (1818) 173 Now to Kirkland..May that say' be verified, ‘Far from God, but neare the temple’. 1704S. Knight Jrnl. 4 Oct. (1972) 14 So I remembred the old say, and suposed I knew Sarah's case. 1880W. T. Dennison Orcadian Sketch-Bk. 7 A' to' hid's an' auld say an' a true say. 1923R. L. Cassie Heid or Hert xii. 52 A' the says o' her deid midder wud come back tull her.
3. a. to have a say: to have a ‘voice’ in a matter; to have the right to be consulted or the power to influence a decision.
1614Jackson Creed iii. 239 Shall they therefore haue no saye at all in deciding controuersies? 1823‘Jon Bee’ Dict. Turf s.v., ‘I have no say in the business’; no power one way or the other. 1865Pall Mall G. No. 143. 5/1 You have no say in the matter. 1900Gasquet Eve of Reform. iii. 52 Whether rightly or wrongly, those who found the money wished to have a say in its disposal. 1888‘R. Boldrewood’ Robbery under Arms lii, One or two more people that had some say with the Government, was working back and edge for me.
transf.1894Sat. Rev. 17 Mar. 287 Buddha traditions had a good say in it.
b. to have the say: to be in command. orig. U.S.
1838Jamestown (N.Y.) Jrnl. 11 July 1/5 One thing I am determined on, and that is, that the folks who succeed best in hauling the Two Pollies in the stream shall have the say in rigging on her up for the voyage. 1902Wister Virginian xiii, ‘So you're acting foreman’, said I. ‘Why, somebody has to have the say, I reckon’. 1906H. Van Dyke Ideals & Applic. ii. 39 The men who have ‘the say’ about these subjects belong to the ruling classes. 1944M. Paneth Branch Street 99, I had the ‘say’ now.
4. a. What one has intended or planned to say: chiefly in phrase to say (out) one's say.
1692R. L'Estrange Fables ci. 95 He had no sooner say'd out his Say, but [etc.]. 1768Tucker Lt. Nat. (1834) I. 473 He would not interrupt me for fear I should not have time to say out all my say. 1782F. Burney Cecilia vi. i, For then we should have time to say all our say. 1808Scott Marm. i. xxii, Well hast thou spoke: say forth thy say. 1816Malcolm Let. in Smiles Mem. J. Murray (1891) I. 341, I have waited to the last, that I might condense all my say into one short sheet. 1819Scott Ivanhoe xxxv, I have said my say. a1843Southey Doctor ccxxviii. (1848) 618, I shall say out my say in disregard of both. 1849Thackeray Pendennis lxx, I have done my best, and said my say. 1859Geo. Eliot A. Bede xxxii, ‘Yes, I know I've done it’, said Mrs. Poyser; ‘but I've had my say out, and I shall be th' easier for't all my life’. 1884Athenæum 11 Oct. 461/1 [Professor Max Müller] has a knack of saying his say in a manner that renders the mere process of reading a pleasure.
b. to have one's say: to avail oneself of an opportunity of expressing one's views.
1858Ruskin Notes Royal Acad. iv. 16, I merely pay tribute of admiration in passing, having had my say about Mr. Dobson's colour before. 1859Meredith R. Feverel ix, Lobourne had its say on the subject. 1884Leeds Mercury 24 Oct. 8/2 After one or two Peers had had their say on that subject, the Address was agreed to.
5. A talk to or with a person. Now dial.
1786A. Gib Sacr. Contempl. II. i. vi. 206 The need of every perishing Sinner for whom he undertook had a Say to him before the Sinner's existence..; and to this Say he was most graciously attentive. 1894Baring-Gould Kitty Alone I. 83 There's some one wants to have a say with you.
▪ V. say, v.1|seɪ|
Forms: see below.
[OE. sęcgan, pa. tense sæᵹde, corresp. to OFris. sega, sedza (mod.Fris. sizze), OS. seggian, pa. tense sagda (MLG. seggen, MDu. seggen, sagen, Du. zeggen), OHG. sagên, pa. tense sagita, segita (MHG., mod.G. sagen), ON. segja, pa. tense sagða; repr. OTeut. *sagǣjan, *sagjan:—pre-Teut. *sokēi-. The root is perh. WIndo-germanic *soqu-: *sequ, found in Lith. sakýti, OSl. soc̆yti to say, Gr. ἔννεπε imper. (:—*en-seque= OLatin inseque, insece), ἐνισπεῖν aorist inf., to tell, say, L. inquam I say (:—*in-squ-am).
The normal mod.Eng. phonetic representative of the OE. inf. sęcgan (or the 1st sing. pres. sęcge) would have been *sedge. As in the case of buy v., lie v.1, the mod. form comes from OE. forms which had ᵹ (palatal) instead of cg, as imp. sęᵹe, sæᵹe, 2nd sing. pres. ind. sęᵹest, sæᵹst, 3rd sing. pres. ind. sęᵹeð, sæᵹð. The ᵹ represents WGer. g, and the cg WGer. gg; the OTeut. stem *sagj- having become by phonetic law in W.Ger. *saggj- before an inflexional suffix beginning with a vowel, and *sagi- in any other position. In Middle English, alongside the tendency, which ultimately prevailed, to extend the stem seȝ-, sei-, sai- (:—OE. seᵹ-) to all parts of the verb, there existed an opposite tendency to extend the stem segg- beyond its etymological limits. Hence most of the parts of the verb (though not the pa. tense) had two widely divergent forms, the distribution of which does not closely correspond to dialectal divisions. In some northern poetry the two forms occasionally occur in juxtaposition as distinct words (e.g. ‘Tille I haue seggid and saide all my sawe’, York Myst. xxxii. 16). In Robert of Brunne the form segge, *sedge (implied in sedgeyng) seems to be appropriated to the sense ‘recite’ (as a minstrel): see sayer 1, saying 1.]
A. Inflexional Forms.
1. inf. say |seɪ|. Forms: α1 secgan, secggan, -ean, sæcgan, sæcg(g)ean, 1–2 secgean, seggan, 2 seggon, secgen, -on, segcean, sæcgen, 2–4 segge(n, siggen, suggen, 2–5 sigge, 3 seuggen, sucgen, suge(n, seg, 3–4 sugge, Kent. zigge, zygge, 5 sygge, 6 dial. zedge. Also dat. inf. 1 to secgenne, -anne, 2 to seggan(n)e, 2–4 to seggen(e, Kent. to ziggene. β2 sæᵹen, sæin, 2–3 seien, seȝen, 2–5 sei(e, 3 seiȝen, 3–5 sai, 4 seyen, saien, seiȝ(e, (? erron. sy), 4–5 seyn(e, sein, 4, 6 Sc. sa, 4–6 sayn, sey(e, saie, saye, 4–5, (6–7 arch. in rimes) sayne, saine, 4–5, (6, 9 arch.) sain, 6 sayen, (erron. sene), 8–9 dial. zay, 3– say. Also dat. inf. 4–5 to seyne, 4, 6 to saine, 5 to sane, to seinge, to sein, to seynt, 5–6 sayne.
α Beowulf 880 Þonne he swulces hwæt secgan wolde. c1175Lamb. Hom. 67 Þenne muȝe we wenen and seggen þus. c1205Lay. 18377 Þe king..bad Gorlois suggen [c 1275 segge] his iwille. c1250Kent. Serm. in O.E. Misc. 28 We mowe sigge þet stor signefieth þe herte. 1340Ayenb. 134 Þet is to ziggene. 1340–70Alisaunder 1033 Now will I cease þis sawe & segge you more Of hym þat hight Alisaunder. 1393Langl. P. Pl. C. xiii. 30 For to seggen as thei seen. c1425Seven Sag. (P.) 1708 To loke what he wolde sygge. 1553Respublica v. vii. 14 (Brandl) Iche maie zedge to yowe, Is fearde pulling owte my throte.
βa1122O.E. Chron. an. 1070 (Laud MS.) Þa herdon þa munecas of Burh sæᵹen þæt [etc.]. 1154Ibid. an. 1137 ⁋5 Suilc & mare þanne we cunnen sæin. c1250Gen. & Ex. 2494 Vs he ðis bodewurd feiȝen bead. a1300Cursor M. 12813 Quat þan sal we sai to þaim? [v.rr. sayne; sai; sey]. c1300Havelok 2886 Þe erl ne wolde nouth ageyn Þe kinge be.., Ne of þe spusing seyen nay. c1350Will. Palerne 60 So, forto seiȝ al þe soþe so faire þe cherl glosed, þat [etc.]. c1368Chaucer Compl. Pite 77 (Tanner MS.) Ther is no more to seyn [v.rr. seye, seyne]. c1375Sc. Leg. Saints xl. (Ninian) 276 For ocht þat he cuth sa ore do. c1400Brut lix. 55 The v kyng hade Merchemeriche, þat is to seynt, þe Erldome of Nichol. c1420–30? Lydg. Compleynt 99 in Temple Glas (E.E.T.S.) 60 And of on thyng, soth for to seyne, I haue gret mater to compleyne. a1450Knt. de la Tour cxiii. (1906) 153 Syn the nwe testament, that is to sein, sen God was borne of the holy mayden Marie. 1513Douglas æneis i. Prol. 219 Eneuch thairof, now will I na mair sayne. Ibid. i. vi. 138 Venus na mair sufferit him plene nor sa. a1547Surrey in Tottel's Misc. (Arb.) 20, I dare well sayen. 1621Bp. R. Montagu Diatribæ 118 To say bo to a battledore. a1643Cartwright Ordinary ii. ii. (1651) 62 Ah benedicite I might soothly sayne. 1865Swinburne Poems & Ball., Q. Bersabe 345 Lord God, alas, what shall I sain?
2. ind. pres.
a. 1st pers. sing. say |seɪ|. Forms: α1 secge, (segce), secgge, sæcge, 2–5 segge, 3 sucge, seuge, sige, 3–4 sugge, 3–5 sigge, 4 suge, sege, sygge. β3 seie, 3–4 sai, 4 seiȝe, seȝe, 4–5 sey(e, sei, 4–6 saye, 5–6 saie, (in rhyme pseudo-arch. 5 sayne, 6 sane), 8–9 dial. zay, 3– say.
α971Blickl. Hom. 69 Soþ is þæt ic eow secgge, þæt [etc.]. c1200Ormin 16632 To fulle soþ I segge þe. c1205Lay. 2979 Þis ich sucge [v.r. segge] þe to seoðe. Ibid. 2985 Ich þe Gornoille seuge. c1250Kent. Serm. in O.E. Misc. 30 Ine sigge nacht þet hi ne hedden þer before ine him beliaue. a1275Prov. ælfred 706 ibid. 138 Hic ne sige nout bi þan, þat moni ne ben gentile man. c1300Harrow. Hell 171 (Digby MS.) Adam, nou i sege hit þe, To-day þou salt alesed be. c1394P. Pl. Crede 390 And þerfore, leue leel man leeue þat ich sygge. c1400Solomon's Bk. Wisdom 203 Riȝth to heuen ne segge ich nouȝth þat he euer come.
βa1300Cursor M. 28036, I sai [v.r. say] noght þis þoqueþer of alle. 1362Langl. P. Pl. A. i. 182 For-þi I seiȝe as I seide er be siȝte of þise tixtes. c1374Chaucer Troylus iv. 769 A by-word here I saye, That, ‘rotelees, mot grene sone deye’. c1400Gamelyn 447 (Skeat), I say it for me,..yuel mot I the! a1450Knt. de la Tour ix. (1906) 13 For y saie you alle, who that dothe a dedly synne [etc.]. c1485E.E. Misc. (Warton Club) 48 Furth he went, as y ȝow sayne. 1513Douglas æneis iii. ix. 96 For, quhow grislie and quhow greit I ȝow sane Lurkis Poliphemus. 1530Palsgr. 696/2, I saye, I tell or speake a thyng.
b. 2nd pers. sing. sayest |ˈseɪɪst|, sayst |seɪst|. Forms: α1 seᵹst, saᵹast, 2 sæȝst, 2–5 seist, 3 seiist, seiest, Ormin seȝȝst, 3–5 seyst, 3–6 seiste, 4 Kentish zayst, 4–7 saist, 5 (erron. seyth, seith), 3– sayst, 6– sayest. Also (chiefly north.) 3–5 sais, says, 4–5 seis, 5 sayes, seyes. β3 Ormin seggesst (gg = |dʒ|), 4 siggest, (seggez), 5 seggest, seggist.
α971Blickl. Hom. 179 On þone þu leoᵹende saᵹast þæt þu sie þæt he is. c1175Lamb. Hom. 39 Þenne þu seist Dimitte [etc.]. c1200Ormin 5188. a 1225 Juliana 11 (Bodl. MS.) Beo hit soð þat tu seiist [v.r. seist]. a1250Owl & Night. 1075 (Jesus MS.) Hwat seystu [v.r. seistu] þis for myne schome. 1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 10792 Wat seiste quaþ þis gode erl. a1300Cursor M. 965 He said, ‘adam, now wel sais þou.’ 1382Wyclif Mark xv. 1 Thou seyst. 1432–50tr. Higden (Rolls) I. 227 Alle thynges be to vs bare and open that thow seyes. c1450Merlin 17 We may neuer bileve that this be trewe that thow seiste. 1548tr. Viret's Expos. XII Art. Chr. Faith A iv b, The thynge is euen as thou sayest. 1579Lyly Euphues (Bond) I. 321 Moreouer thou saist that [etc.]. 1667Milton P.L. v. 815 Unjust thou saist Flatly unjust, to bind with laws the free. 1741–2Gray Agrip. 85 Say'st thou I must be cautious, must be silent. 1831Scott Ct. Rob. xix, ‘Thou say'st a painful truth’, said Count Robert.
βc1200Ormin 1512. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 621 ‘Fare forthe’, quod þe frekez, ‘& fech as þou seggez’. 1402Jack Upland's Rejoinder in Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 72 The secte that thou seggist of.
c. 3rd pers. sing. says |sɛz|, arch. saith |sɛθ|. Forms: α1 seᵹ(e)þ, sæᵹ(e)þ, sæiᵹð, saᵹað, 2 seȝð, sæȝð, 2 seigð, 2–3 sæið, seið, seieð (occas. written seid, seied), 2–5 seith, 3 sehð, sæið(e, Ormin seȝ(ȝ)þ, 3–4 seithe, 3–5 seyth, 4 Kent. zayþ, zaiþ, (2–3 seit, 3 seiet, 4 seyt), 4–5 seythe, 5–6 sayth, 6 saythe, saieth, 6–7 sayeth, 3– (now arch.) saith. Also (with ending orig. north.) 3–6 sais, 4 seys, (sas), 4–5 seis, sayse, saise, 4–7 sayes, 5 ? seysse, 5, 7 saies, 6 sayis, 9 dial. ses, sez, 4– says. β3 suggeð, 3–4 seggeþ. Also 4 sigges, 5 segges.
α971Blickl. Hom. 27 Her saᵹaþ Matheus se godspellere þætte [etc.]. Ibid. 55 Her seᵹþ hu se æþela lareow wæs sprecende. a1175Cott. Hom. 239 Þan seied ham god..ȝe senegeden an ȝeur ecenesse [etc.]. c1175Lamb. Hom. 45 Eft ure lauerd seolf seit. Maledictus homo [etc.]. c1200Ormin 10306 He seȝȝþ uss þatt [etc.]. a1250Owl & Night. 1072 (Jesus MS.) Wel viht þat wel spekþ seyþ in þe songe. a1300Cursor M. 8282 Als sais [v.rr. sas, saise, seiþ] þe stori. c1320Sir Tristrem 1545 He seyt he haþ don þis. c1330R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 14779 But þat seynt Bede of þem alle seys, Elles schulde non haue knowe what weys. 1340Ayenb. 134 Ase zaiþ zainte paul. 13..Seuyn Sag. (W.) 2925 Opon the morn, the stori sayse, The knight toke horses and hernays. c1500Melusine vi. 28 Thystory saith, that [etc.]. 1508Dunbar Flyting 133 He sayis [etc.]. 1523Ld. Berners Froiss. I. ccclxxxvii. 661 If it be as he dothe, it is as he saythe. 1590Greene Orl. Fur. (1599) B 2, What sayes the mightie Mandrecard? 1600in Shaks. Cent. of Praise 35 He sayeth that [etc.]. a1631Donne Poems (1650) 9 Who saies my teares have overflow'd his ground? 1750Gray Long Story 73 So Rumour says. 1819Scott Ivanhoe xxxiv, For what saith holy writ.
β1205Lay. 28818 Swa alse þe boc us suggeð. c1275Ibid. 10500 Þe king þe greteþ Basan an seggeþ mid sore þat [etc.]. a1375Joseph Arim. 209 Þenne spekes a vois and on heiȝ sigges, ‘king [etc.]’. c1440York Myst. xxxiii. 98 Agayne Sir Cesar hym selfe he segges and saies [etc.].
d. pl. say |seɪ|. Forms: α1 secg(e)að, seggað, sæcg(e)að, secggaþ, 2–4 siggeþ, seggeþ, 3 sug(g)eð, segeþ, (segget); 1 segge (we), 2–4 segge, 4 Sc. sigge, 4–5 seggen. β4 seith, 4 seyth (occas. written seyt), seyithe. Also north. 3–6 sais, 4 seis, saise, 5 seise, 6 says, 6–7 sayes. γ3–4 seiȝen, 3–6 sey(e)n, 4 sein, 4–5 seyne, sain, 4–6 sayn(e, seien, 5 saien, 5 (6–7 arch.) saine, 5–6 sane, sayen, (9 dial. sen); 3–4 sai, seie, 4–5 sey, sei, 4–6 saye, 5–6 saie, (8–9 dial. zay), 4– say.
α971Blickl. Hom. 125 Swylce eac we leorniaþ, men, þæt þa men secgaþ..þæt [etc.]. a1175Cott. Hom. 237 Of þe folce we siggeð þat hit cumþ fastlice fram middenardes. c1205Lay. 24275 Summe bokes suggeð [v.r. seggeþ] to iwisse þat [etc.]. c1275Ibid. 27480 For al so segge [v.r. suggeð] þe writes þat witty men dihte. 1377Langl. P. Pl. B. xi. 425 ‘Ȝe seggen soth’, quod I.
βa1300Cursor M. 343 Als clerkes sais þat are wis He wroght noght first wit partis. Ibid. 6697 Til hir husband men aght to giue Mendes þat men sais es right. c1320R. Brunne Medit. 675 Sum seyþ, ‘saue þy selfe, ȝyf þou kunne’. 1563Winȝet tr. Vincentius Lirinensis Wks. (S.T.S.) II. 76 We al says the samyn.
γc1250Gen. & Ex. 917 Ebruis seiȝen, wune hem wex [etc.]. a1300Cursor M. 14689 Gas lokes þe bokes o your lai, And vnderstandes quat þai sai. c1320Sir Tristrem 3220 Þai leiȝen al bi dene Þat sain he dar nouȝt fiȝt Wiþ his fo. 1362Langl. P. Pl. A. vii. 122 Ȝif hit beo soþ þat ȝe seyen. c1400Destr. Troy 277 Sum sayn full sure..Hit was þe formast on flete þat on flode past. 140426 Pol. Poems 17/72 In sykernes may he go, and recche neuere what men say. 1422tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 196 Morouer hit is not to beleue to folys that Sayne that [etc.]. c1460Fortescue Abs. & Lim. Mon. xvii. (1885) 152 To this sane [v.rr. sayn, sayen] suche lordes on oþer men. c1485Caxton Sonnes of Aymon xxii. 481 Wene ye that I shall do that ye saye for fere of deth? 1504in I. S. Leadam Sel. Cases Crt. Requests (1898) 9 And the saide Executours further seyen that [etc.]. 1513Bradshaw St. Werburge i. 358 As dyuers auctours sayne. 1552Lyndesay Monarche 6032 Than sall one Fyre, as Clerkis sane, Mak all the hyllis and valais plane. 1579J. Stubbes Discov. Gaping Gulf C 5 b, A new match betweene hym and Marguerit daughter of a French Charles, as most men saien. 1581G. Pettie tr. Guazzo's Civ. Conv. i. (1586) 11 What saie you of this? 1602Breton Mother's Blessing B 4 b, But harken to the shepheards what they saine, Both of the Sunshine, and a showre of raine. 1614B. Jonson Barth. Fair ii. ii, They say, a fooles handsell is lucky.
3. ind. pa.
a. 1st and 3rd pers. sing. said |sɛd|. Forms: 1–2 sæᵹde, (1 saᵹode), 1–3 sǽde, 2 saiᵹde, sæide, 2–4 sede, sade, 2–5 seide, 2, 5–7 sed, 3 seaide, sæide, Ormin seȝȝde, 3–5 seyde, seid, 3–6 sayde, 3–7 saide, 4 seyede, seȝede, Kentish z(e)ayde, Sc. sad, 4–5 seyd, 4–7 sayd, 5 seyed, 5–7 saied, 5–7 sayed, 3– said.
c1000ælfric Saints' Lives (1900) II. 322 Þe þis gehyrde eall and hit eft sæde swa swa. c1175Lamb. Hom. 77 And þet hali meiden onswerede and seide [etc.]. c1200Moral Ode 131 (Trin.) Drihte self hit sade. c1205Lay. 1256 He þoute..hou þe læfdi him sæide. a1250Owl & Night. 235 (Jesus MS.) For Alured king hit seyde [v.r. seide] & wrot. 13..K. Alis. 1375 (W.) Yef ony saide no. a1352Minot Poems (ed. Hall) i. 46 Philip Valays..said he suld þaire enmys sla. c1375Sc. Leg. Saints i. (Petrus) 83 He sad, he subuertit nocht. c1400Destr. Troy 11259 Þen þe traytur Antenor..to þe fre sayde. c1400Mandeville (1839) viii. 98 A chirche, where the Aungel seyde to oure Lady of hire Dethe. c1440Generydes 64 She seid he was welcome. c1450Myrc Festial 168 By vertu of þe holy wordys þat þe prest sayed þer. 1562Winȝet Cert. Tractates Wks. (S.T.S.) II. 55 He sayd nocht, the thingis haldin of hald. c1610Women Saints 50 He..with execration sayed: ‘If I haue committed this theft [etc.]’. 1611Bible Exod. viii. 25 And Pharaoh..said, Goe yee [etc.]. 1632Milton L'Allegro 103 She was pincht, and pull'd she sed. 1766Gray Kingsgate 17 ‘Ah!’ said the sighing peer, ‘had Bute been true’.
b. 2nd pers. sing. saidest |ˈsɛdɪst|, saidst |sɛdst|. Forms: 1 sæᵹdest, sǽdest, 3 Ormin seȝȝdesst, (3–4 said, saide), 4–5 seidest, seydest, 5 seidist, saydes, 6–7 sayd'st, 6– saidst, 9– saidest.
c1200Ormin 8660 Acc do swa summ þu seȝȝdesst. a1300Cursor M. 15661 Þou said [v.rr. saide, seidest] for me if mister war, to ded thole suld þou fight. c1374Chaucer Troylus i. 919 So seydestow ful ofte. a1375Joseph Arim. 224 Þou..siþen seidest to me mi preyere scholde sitte. c1450Myrc Festial 19 Ryght as þou saydes, hit ys fallen! 1535Coverdale Ps. lxxxix. 19 Thou..saydest [etc.]. 1596Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, ii. iv. 218 What, foure? thou sayd'st but two, euen now. 1850Mrs. Browning Felicia Hemans ii, No need of flowers—albeit ‘bring flowers’, thou saidest.
c. pl. said |sɛd|. Forms: 1 sæᵹdun, seᵹdon, 1–2 sæᵹdon, sǽdon, -an, 2 saiᵹden, sæden, sæidon, seidon, 2–3 seden, saden, 2–5 seiden, 3 sæiden, Ormin seȝȝdenn, 3, 5 sayden, 3–5 saiden, seyden, 4–5 saidon, 5 saydyn, -on; 3–4 sede, 3, 5 seyde, 3–5 seid(e, saide, 3, 5–6 sayde, 4 Kentish zede, 3– said.
c900tr. Bæda's Hist. v. x. (1890) 416 Seᵹdon þæt hio hefdon nyt ærende. c950Lindisf. Gosp. Mark xiv. 57, & summ monn aras leas gecyðnise sæᵹdon [c 975 Rushw. sæᵹdun; c 1000Ags. Gosp. sædon, v.r. sæᵹdon; c 1160Hatton saiᵹden] wið him cuoeðendo. 1154O.E. Chron. an. 1135, Men..sæden ð[at] micel þing sculde cumen her efter. c1175Lamb. Hom. 89 Þa seiden þa iudeiscen men a bismer. c1205Lay. 15600 Þa cnihtes biliue comen to þan reue & þus him to sæiden. c1340Ayenb. 59 Ase we zede hyerbeuore. a1352Minot Poems (ed. Hall) i. 43 Þai said it suld ful dere be boght. c1386Chaucer Man of Law's T. 113 Diuerse men diuerse thynges seyden. c1400Destr. Troy 12643 Yet thies lyghers..Saidon the same kyng..þat [etc.]. c1420Chron. Vilod. 1713 Þe lordus..saydon: Etheldrede oȝte not to be kynge. c1449Pecock Repr. ii. ix. 198 Thei maden hem a calf of siluer, and seiden that it was her God. 1470–85Malory Arthur i. iii–v. 40 Letters there were wryten in gold aboute the swerd that saiden thus. 1662J. Davies tr. Olearius Voy. Amb. 274 An accompt of what they said concerning [etc.].
4. subj. pres. say. Forms: sing. 1 secg(g)e, sæcge, 3 segge, sugge, sigge, 3, 6 saie, 4 sa, 4–5 sey(e, seie, 5– say. pl. 1 secg(g)an, secgen, sæcgeon, sæcgan, sæggon, 2–3 seggen, 3 sey, 4 sa, 5– say.
971Blickl. Hom. 179 Þa cwæþ Petrus, ‘Secge Simon me nu, ᵹif [etc.]’. c1200Ormin 9272, & lokeþþ wel þatt ȝure nan Ne segge þuss wiþþ worde [etc.]. c1205Lay. 13888 Ich ileue þe cniht þæt þu me sugge soð riht. a1225Ancr. R. 8 Sigge so monie [sc. beoden],..se heo euer wule. c1275Passion our Lord 523 in O.E. Misc. 52 Þat his disciples..ne..seggen to þe volke..He is aryse from deþe. 1390Gower Conf. I. 103 What as evere that ye seie Riht as ye wole so wol I. c1462Wright's Chaste Wife 440 If he sey to the any þing He schall haue sorowe vn-sowte. 1513Douglas æneis xi. ix. 36 Sytand at eys ilkane say his entent.
5. imp. say. Forms: (a) sing. 1 saᵹa, seᵹe, sæᵹe, 2 seȝe, 3 sæiȝe, sæi, saie, seiȝe, Ormin seȝȝ, 3–4 sei, sa, 3–5 sey(e, sai, seie, 3–6 saye, 4 Kentish zay, (6 pseudo-arch. saine), 3– say.
971Blickl. Hom. 233 Sæᵹe us þæt hrædlice. a1000[see B. 6]. c1200Ormin 9299 Lef maȝȝstre, seȝȝ uss nu þin raþ. c1205Lay. 2269 Seie [v.r. sei] me Locrin, Saie me læðe mon. Ibid. 30283 Sæiȝe me biliue hu þe beon on siðe. c1275Passion our Lord 585 in O.E. Misc. 54 Saye heom þat ich astye to mynes vader riche. a1300Cursor M. 11964 Sai [v.r. say] þou; i der noght til him speke. 1340Ayenb. 1 Zay þis þet uolȝeþ. 1513Douglas æneis vi. v. 46 Say me, virgyne, quod Enee. a1600? Raleigh in Eng. Helicon L 3, Yet what is Loue, good Sheepheard saine? 1742Gray Eton 21 Say, father Thames! for thou hast seen Full many a sprightly race.
(b) pl. α1 secg(g)að, seggað, 2 secgeð, 2–3 seggeð, 3 suggeð, siggeð, segget, segge. β4 seiȝth, 4–5 sayeth, 5 seith, seieþ, sayth(e. Also north. 3–5 sais, 4 saise, seys, 5 says. γ3–4 sai, 4 Sc. sa, 4–6 sey, 5 saie, seie, 4, 6– say.
971Blickl. Hom. 71 Secggaþ Siones dohtrun þæt heora cining cymeþ. c1205Lay. 865 Suggeð [v.r. Seggeþ] me to runun ræd þæt eou þunche. a1250Owl & Night. 116 (Jesus MS.) Seggeþ [v.r. Segge] me if ye hit wiste. a1300Cursor M. 5092 To fotte mi fader sal yee fund, And sais him i am hale and sund. c1440York Myst. xxxi. 146 Saie! beene venew in bone fay, Ne plesew et a parle remoy. 1450Fastolf in Paston Lett. I. 130 And sey hem on my half that they shall be qwyt. c1728Earl of Ailesbury Mem. 626, I concluded with an old English term, ‘Say, and keep to what you say’.
6. pres. pple. saying |ˈseɪɪŋ|. Forms: α1 secg(g)ende, 2–3 seggende. β2–4 seinde, 3–4 saiand, 4–6 sayand(e, 5 seiand, sayn; 4 seyyng(e, seiynge, -enge, 4–5 seyinge, 4–6 saiyng, sayng, seying, 5 seiyng, seyng, seing, sainge, sayinge, saynge, saenge, saiynge, seyȝing, 5–6 saieng, seynge, seyenge, 6 say-, saieng(e, saing, 7 dial. zaying, 3– saying.
α971Blickl. Hom. 161 Hie þære soþfæstnesse spellodan & tacen secgende wæron, þa þe Drihten sylf getacnode. c1200Trin. Coll. Hom. 93 Þus seggende, Venite.
βa1300Cursor M. 17672 And als i stod saiand mi bede. c1320R. Brunne Medit. 228 He..cumforted hem ful feyre, seyyng [etc.]. c1380Wyclif Wks. (1880) 3 Seiynge..þat crist tauȝte not his disciples..þe beste ordre and religioun. c1400Rule St. Benet (Prose) lxiv. 42 Sayng in þis wise [etc.]. 1426Lydg. De Guil. Pilgr. 7008 Grace dieu seyng to me. a1450Knt. de La Tour viii. (1906) 11 A uoys come to her saieng [etc.]. 1460J. Capgrave Chron. (Rolls) 32 Josue..spak with God seiand swech wordes on to him. 1500–20Dunbar Poems xxviii. 3, I dremed ane angell came fra Hevin, With plesand stevin sayand [etc.]. 1535Coverdale Zech. iv. 4 So I..spake to the angel yt talked with me, sayenge: O my lorde [etc.]. 1549(Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer, Matins A iv b, The priest standyng vp and saiyng. Let vs praye. 1664J. Wilson A. Comenius v. vi, What was you saying?
7. pa. pple. said |sɛd|. Forms: α1 (ᵹe-)sæᵹd, (ᵹe-)sǽd, 2 ȝesed, iseȝd, 2–3 isæd, isæid(e, isait, i-, yseit, 3–4 (6 arch.) y-sed, i-sed, (4 Kent. y-zed), 4 ysade, y-sayd, 2–5 (y-, i-) seid(e, 5–7 sayed, 6 saied, say'd, seede, 3–7 sed, 2– said. β5 seggid. γ6–7 (chiefly in rimes) saine. δ5 seden, sadyn, saydyn.
α971[see B. 2 d]. c1175Lamb. Hom. 47 Þeos ilke weord þe ic habbe her iseit. c1200Trin. Coll. Hom. 103 Þus sit man on his sinne swo ich seid haue. c1205Lay. 11427 No here ich nenne godne ræd þe þe ȝet beo isæd. c1250Owl & Night. 395 (Jesus MS.) Vor heo ne myhte noht alegge Þat þe vle hedde hire iseyd [v.r. ised]. 1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 2126 As ichabbe ysed [v.r. yseit]. a1300Cursor M. 11261 Quen þai had sai(d) [v.rr. sayd, seid] þat þai wald sai. 13..E.E. Allit. P. B. 353 Fro seuen dayez ben seyed I sende out bylyue. c1330Arth. & Merl. 525 (Kölbing) Mi deuise ich haue ysade. c1386Chaucer Knt.'s T. 1010 If yow thynketh this is weel ysayd. 1390Gower Conf. I. 154 The king..hath al herd how sche hath said. c1400Rule St. Benet (Verse) 531 And when þai al þer sawes hafe saide [etc.]. 1432–50tr. Higden (Rolls) VIII. 143 These wordes y-seide the develle evaneschede. c1489Caxton Sonnes of Aymon xxvi. 560 All that they had sayed. 1515in Coll. Surrey Archæol. Soc. (1858) I. 182, I will that there be seede..v masses. 1557Primer Sarum, Dirige Ps. xxvi. I vij, My heart hath saied set vnto thee. 1560J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 94 b, The Ambassadours..were sayde naye. 1567Turberv. Ovid's Ep. 116 Alas, poore wretch, my Phaon I had very neare ysed. 1570Satir. Poems Reform. xix. 99 Christ hes it sed,..That kingdome sall come to greit ruyne. 1637[see 2 b pass.]. 1648in Nicholas Papers (Camden) 97 Very much hath beene sayed..to make the Prince jealous [etc.]. 1682Sir T. Browne Chr. Mor. iii. ii, Nothing can be said hyperbolically of God. a1699A. Halkett Autobiog. (1875) 49 To take that upon him hee had never Saied.
β(See B. 2 g.)
γ1592Greene Alphonsus 583 Wks. (Grosart) XIII. 354 [You] Shall well repent the words which you haue saine. 1610G. Fletcher Christ's Tri. ii. 9 O depth, without a depth farre better seene then saine.
δ1422tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 207 Of the vertu of Iustice afor in this boke Is largely Saydyn. 1422[see B. 2 e]. Ibid. 131 Seden.
B. Signification.
In Eng., as in other Teut. langs., say is an approximate synonym of speak, from which it differs in having normally as its object a particular word or series of words, or a sentence representing the meaning of a particular series of words. Cf. L. dicere and its representatives in Romanic (which, however, have also senses that are now expressed in Eng. by tell), and L. aio, inquam.
As the word designates not the action of speaking itself, but its relation to the object, its use with reference to written expression does not ordinarily, like the similar use of speak, involve any consciousness of metaphor.
1. a. trans. To utter or pronounce (a specified word or words, or an articulate sound). Also, in wider sense, used of an author or a book, with quoted words as object. Also fig., of things: to suggest, to indicate. Phrs. I won't (or wouldn't) say no to (something, usu. a food or drink): I would like; to say the word: see word n. 7; who says ―?, with an item of food as object: who would like ―?
For various idiomatic collocations, as to say nay, to say bo, to say farewell, etc., see the conjoined words.
For as who saith, as who should say, see as and who.
c1000Ags. Gosp. Mark xiv. 58 We ᵹe-hyrdon hine secgan ic to-wurpe þis hand-worhte tempel [etc.]. c1175Lamb. Hom. 35 Soðliche he walde seggen ȝif he mihte speken, wa is me þet ic efre dude swa muchele sunne. Ibid. 41 And eft þe boc seið, Ne scule ȝe neure god don unforȝolden. c1200Trin. Coll. Hom. 5 To þe oðer wurð iseid þat loðeliche word... Ite maledicti [etc.]. c1200Ormin 149, & Godess enngell seȝȝde himm to..Ne dred te, Zacariȝe. c1330R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 11399 At ilka mattyng þei seide ‘chek’. c1386Chaucer Prioress' Prol. 11 He sayde,..‘My lady Prioresse [etc.]’. c1449Pecock Repr. ii. xviii. 258 In this maner of colourid speche we seien: ‘This ymage is Seint Peter [etc.]’. 1535Coverdale Ps. cxvi. 11, I sayde in my haist: All men are lyers. 1611Bible Judg. xii. 6 Then said they vnto him, Say now, Shibboleth: and he said, Sibboleth. a1714J. Sharp Serm. Wks. (1754) IV. xviii. 309 A man that swears and curses to add grace to his discourse, might as well serve his purpose by repeating a word or two out of propria quæ maribus, or saying any scrap of pedlars French. 1821De Quincey Richter Wks. 1863 XIII. 121 Not whilst you can say Jack Robinson. 1872Calverley Fly Leaves (1884) 64 Is it not—(never, Eddy, say ‘ain't it’) A marvellous sight? 1898J. D. Brayshaw Slum Silhouettes 158 ‘Who says pudden? Mister What's It—a little piece?’ 1910H. G. Wells Hist. Mr. Polly vi. 193 Sit down, everyone... Who says steak-and-kidney pie? 1939A. Thirkell Before Lunch iv. 85, I wouldn't say no to toast and honey. 1958V. H. Collins Second Bk. Eng. Idioms 194, I won't say no, I won't refuse..often only a genteel way of saying ‘Thank you’. 1970P. Laurie Scotland Yard iii. 68 To me drugs say beatniks, layabouts..kids going to ruin. 1972A. Ross London Assignment 33 His shirt said custom⁓made silk even at that distance.
†b. In pass., of a word: To be derived. Const. of. Obs.
1340Ayenb. 93 Vor of crayme is yzed crist and of crist cristendom. c1440Lydg. Hors, Shepe & G. 57 Eques ab ‘equo’ is seid..And cheualere is saide of cheualrye. 1597G. Harvey Trim. Nashe To Rdr., Lent (you know) is saide of leane, because it macerates & makes leane the bodye.
c. With an inanimate item as subject: to communicate or represent; esp. of a clock, calendar, etc., to show (a certain time or date); of a notice, to state (a certain message).
1930W. Faulkner As I lay Dying 237 The clock said twenty past twelve. 1944M. Laski Love on Supertax xi. 103 On the door..Clarissa found a notice saying, ‘Welfare Officer. Knock and enter.’ 1951W. Faulkner Requiem for Nun ii. i. 112 A clock on the wall says two minutes past two. 1973W. J. Burley Death in Salubrious Place v. 105 The perpetual calender said Wednesday August 25th. 1975S. Johnson Urbane Guerilla i. 23 A sign said, ‘Statue of Liberty—ticket office other side of building.’ 1975Language for Life (Dept. Educ. & Sci.) vi. 88 To teach a child that ‘kuh-a-tuh’ says ‘cat’ is to teach him something that is simply incorrect.
2. To declare or state in words (a specified fact, thought, opinion, or intention). Said of a speaker, writer; also of a literary composition, a proverb, etc. Const. to († in OE. and ME. simple dat.).
a. with obj. a clause (introduced by that, or with ellipsis of that). Also fig., spec. with a sum of money as subject, used as a formula to bet or wager that (something is the case).
971Blickl. Hom. 9 Se engel hire sæᵹde þæt heo sceolde modor beon hire Scyppendes. c1175Lamb. Hom. 15 Monimon seið þet þa weren strotige [? read stronge] laȝe. c1200Ormin 255 Þiss Goddspell seȝȝþ þatt Sannt Johan Wass [etc.]. c1386Chaucer Sqr.'s T. 199 They..seyde that it was lyk the Pegasee. c1450St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 6185 Men saide him þat it was not sothe. c1460Towneley Myst. ix. 137 Go grete hym well,..say hym I com. 1561Reg. Privy Council Scot. I. 181 Thair is na law that sayis that Frenchmennis gudis unmarkit shall pertene be escheit to the Lard of Bargany. 1577Kendall Flowers of Epigrammes 18 Thou saist thou art as much my frend as any man can be. 1617Moryson Itin. i. 178, I formerly said that I bought a horse at Paduoa. 1657W. Coles Adam in Eden cviii, Some say, that it [sc. Sundew] is a searing or caustick Herb, and very much biting. 1673Wycherley Gent. Dancing-Master iii. i, What I have said I have said. 1829K. H. Digby Broadstone of Honour i. 272 Gibbon says that the French Monarchy was created by the bishops of France. 1833Tennyson Lady of Shalott ii. i, She has heard a whisper say A curse is on her if she stay. 1859Geo. Eliot A. Bede xlix, It's your kindness makes you say I'm useful to you.
fig.a1340Hampole Psalter ii. 10 Ȝoure consciens sais ȝou þt ȝe doe wrange. 1606Shakes. Ant. & Cl. ii. i. 11 My powers are Cressent, and my Auguring hope Sayes it will come to'th' full. 1954W. Tucker Wild Talent xii. 184 A dollar says you won't come back. 1962D. Lessing Golden Notebk. ii. 230 The set of his shoulders said that he was listening, so she went on. 1974L. Deighton Spy Story xviii. 194 ‘A quid,’ I said. ‘You're on,’ said Ferdy... ‘And I've got a pound that says you're wrong,’ said Schlegel. That's how I lost two quid. 1975J. Gores Hammett iii. 28 I've got twenty at four-to-seven that says the semifinal is a draw. 1976Listener 8 Apr. 427/3 This same man has since been in contact, and wants to go on another job with us..—which, to me, says that he is happy that what could be done was done under the circumstances at the time.
b. with obj. a pronoun or quasi-pronominal word or phrase. Also transf. and fig., to convey, communicate; to mean; to indicate.
c1000Ags. Gosp. Luke xxiii. 3 Ða andswarude he þu hit seᵹst. a1122O.E. Chron. an. 1083, Hwæt maᵹon we secgean buton þæt hi scotedon swiðe. 1154Ibid. an. 1135, Durste nan man sei to him naht bute god. c1205Lay. 1164 Brutus hit herde siggen Þurh his sæ-monnen. a1250Owl & Night. 60 (Jesus MS.) If ich me holde in myne hegge Ne recche ich neuer hwat þu segge. a1300Cursor M. 12293 And he said noiþer ill ne god. c1485Digby Myst. (1882) iii. 893 Wher haue ȝe put hym? Sey me thys. 1611Bible Luke xiii. 17 And when hee had said these things, all his aduersaries were ashamed. 1677Wood Life (O.H.S.) II. 395 Dr. Bathurst is no great freind to the Masters, and hath said it often that many of them deserve to be put out of the house. 1710–11Swift Jrnl. to Stella 1 Jan., What say you to that? 1795Gentl. Mag. 542/2 A good deal has been said already in your Magazine in praise of Dr. Berkeley. 1840J. H. Newman Par. Serm. V. iii. 51 Let us aim at meaning what we say, and saying what we mean. 1868Helps Realmah xv. (1876) 394 Mauleverer only said that to tease you. 1881H. James Portr. Lady I. xviii. 222 I'm afraid there are moments in life when even Beethoven has nothing to say to us. 1893E. Saltus Madam Sapphira 57 What would a Scotch and soda say to you? 1932J. Buchan Sir W. Scott xii. 333 Venice, Tirol, Munich, Heidelberg said nothing to him. 1932R. Campbell Pomegranates, They change and tremble As the lips they most resemble When one red kiss is all they say. 1951M. McLuhan Mech. Bride (1967) 80/2 By juxtaposition and contrast he is able to ‘say’ a great deal. 1955M. Laski Apologies 14 No, not actually like it, but—..it just doesn't say anything to me. 1966Listener 10 Nov. 694/1 A Californian who knew the difference between summer and fall, no matter what the skies and the thermometer say. 1977H. Fast Immigrants v. 302, I raised a hundred and sixty thousand dollars of San Francisco money that says so. 1977Jrnl. R. Soc. Arts CXXV. 602/1 Titian, in the nature of what he can and does ‘say’ is at least as close to Cézanne or Francis Bacon..as he is to Sannazaro or Aretino.
Proverbial phrase.1377Langl. P. Pl. B. xvii. 17 For þough I seye it my-self I haue saued with þis charme Of men & of wommen many score þousandes. c1485Digby Myst. (1882) i. 139 Though I sey it my-self I am a man of myght. a1592Greene Geo. a Greene 397 Wks. (Grosart) XIV. 139 Though I say it that should not say it. 1606Heywood 2nd Pt. If you know not me (1609) C 3, Shall a yong man as I am, and though I say it, indifferent proper, goe [etc.]. 1736Sheridan in Swift's Lett. (1768) IV. 181, I have written a little pretty birth-day poem against St. Andrew's day... It is a very pretty thing (although I say it that shouldn't say it). 1736Gray Let. Dec. (1900) I. 4 Though I say it, that should not say it, there positively is not one that has a greater esteem for you. 1817Keats Let. 4 Sept. (1958) I. 150 This here Beast though I say it as shouldn't..can sing. 1818Blackw. Mag. II. 214/2 My adversary might find it, however, (though I say it that shouldn't say it) in the vulgar phrase, rather a tough job. 1834Tracts for Times No. 22. 3, I think you, Sir, will allow that it was not badly contrived, though I say it, who should not say it. 1842Dickens Let. 1 May (1974) III. 229, I do believe, though I say it as shouldn't, that they [sc. Dickens's children] are good 'uns. 1863H. E. P. Spofford Amber Gods 148 Though I say it thet shouldn't say it. 1889E. Dowson Let. 5 Mar. (1967) 45, I recognize in it, thou' I say it as shouldn't what Pater calls ‘a delicate tact of omission’. 1892C. M. Yonge Cross Roads i. 13 Ours is reckoned one of the best choirs..though I say it as should not say it.
passive.a1175Cott. Hom. 233 Þa þis was iseȝd. 1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VII. 145 Þe whiche i-seide, þe emperour i-smyten aȝen promoted hym sone into a bisshop. 1637Milton Lycidas 129 Besides what the grim Woolf with privy paw Daily devours apace, and nothing sed.
c. impers. or with indefinite subject: it says = the author or the book referred to says. Now colloq.
The use with quoted words as obj. (belonging formally to 1) and the absolute parenthetic use (cf. 3 a, b) are for convenience included here.
971Blickl. Hom. 41 Þonne sæᵹþ on þissum bocum þæt Drihten sylf cwæde þæt [etc.]. a1225Ancr. R. 182 Vor hwon heo is ipreoued, hit seið, heo schal beon ikruned mid te crune of liue. a1300Cursor M. 8818 Þus þai fanded it tre dais, Als it in þe stori sais. c1400Rule St. Benet (Prose) v. 9 Als yure maistiresse leris yu, als it sais: ‘Qui uos audit [etc.]’. 1840, etc. [see it pron. 3 f]. 1894‘R. Andom’ We Three & Troddles xv. 130 Giants are always wicked people. It says so in the children's books. 1900B. Pain Eliza 54 ‘You told me it was port!’ ‘So it is.’ ‘It says tonic port on the label.’ 1977S. Brett Star Trap xii. 134 ‘Christopher Milton is thirty-eight, at least.’ ‘But it says in the programme—’ ‘Charles, Charles, you've been in the business too long to be so naïve.’
d. quasi-impers. in pass., with clause (expressed or understood from context) as real subject: it is (has been, will be) said. In pres. tense now chiefly = ‘it is commonly said’, ‘people say’.
After as the pronoun it is now commonly omitted.
971Blickl. Hom. 65 Sæᵹd is þæt hit sy wyrtruma ealra oþerra synna. a1225Ancr. R. 274 Flesches lust is fotes wunde, ase was feor iseid þeruppe. 1258Procl. in Rymer Fœdera (1816) I. i. 378 Alswo alse hit is biforen iseid. a1300Cursor M. 4507 For lang was said, and yeit sua bes, Hert sun for-gettes þat ne ei seis. 1390Gower Conf. I. 15 Bot it is seid and evere schal, Betwen tuo Stoles lyth the fal. c1449Pecock Repr. i. v. 23 As it is bifore seid in the iiij⊇. argument. 1549Coverdale, etc. Erasm. Par. Heb. vii. 1–3 Melchisedech..who as it is said had neyther father, nor mother. 1780Mirror No. 75 (1787) III. 6 In the very next paragraph it is said, ‘We have the pleasure of informing the Public [etc.]’. 1798Garthshere in Paget Papers (1896) I. 140 Lady Cahir off with Sr J. Shelley—Lady Assia (as is said) do. in Ireland. 1804Wordsw. Margaret 20 If things ensued that wanted grace, As hath been said, they were not base. 1859Tennyson Elaine 148 We hear it said That men go down before your spear at a touch. 1861M. Pattison Ess. (1889) I. 48 It has been even said that this church was built by the Germans. 1881Besant & Rice Chapl. Fleet ii. xx. 270 There had been found a man, it was said, to bell the cat.
†e. [After L. dicere, Fr. dire.] With complement: To speak of, call (by a specified name or designation): chiefly in pass. Also (and in later use exclusively) in pass. with adj. or descriptive n., = ‘to be said to be’, ‘to be called’. Obs.
1382Wyclif Bible Prol. xiv. 55 Whanne the formere thingis ben set byhynde, it is seid recapitulacoun, either rehersing of thing doon bifore. Ibid. Matt. xxvi. 3 The prince of the prestis that was said Caiphas. 1390Gower Conf. I. 61 The ferste is seid Ypocrisie. a1400–50Alexander 1070 (Dubl. MS.) Sagittarius for soth men seggen it to name. c1400Lanfranc's Cirurg. 192 Forwhi impetigo serpigo & morphea ben seid in salerne diuers names. c1400tr. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh. 52 Olde men louyn swylk a kynge, and he ys sayd vertuous, large and attempre. c1420–30Wycliffite Bible Pref. Ep. St. Jerom. i, Itali, the which sumtyme was seid Grete Grece. 1422tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 201 Prayer othyrwhyle is sadyn a good worke. 1450–1530Myrr. our Ladye 267 The doughters of Syon have sene her, and they have sayde her blyssed. 1484Caxton Fables of æsop v. xiv, None ought to say hym self mayster withoute that he haue fyrst studyed. 1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 302 What wyll ye shall be done with Jesu that is sayd Chryst and Sauyour of the worlde. 1540–1Elyot Image Gov. 108, I saie you most victorious people, branches of Romulus, subduers of realmes. 1589Puttenham Eng. Poesie ii. iii. (Arb.) 84 According to the number of the sillables contained in euery verse, the same is sayd a long or short meeter. a1617Bayne On Eph. (1643) 66 Thus all things are said created in or by Christ. 1628Coke On Litt. 69 What shall be said a voyage royall shall be adjudged by the judges. 1652Gaule Magastrom. 277 And why must he needs make mention of the flesh, where as it was enough to say him mortall? 1690Locke Hum. Und. ii. xxv. §1 The Colour White, [is] the Occasion why he is said whiter than Freestone.
f. † (a) With direct object and inf. in lieu of clause. (A Latinism) (obs.). † (b) With ellipsis of reflexive obj. before the inf.: To allege oneself to do or be so and so (obs.). (c) In pass. with following infinitive, to be said to do or be so and so.
The mod. passive use (c) has two different meanings: the predicate may denote an alleged or reported fact (as in quot. 1615), or a descriptive term used (as in quot. 1838).
(a)1563Shute Architecture F j, Whiche oure Author hath brought to a vniformity, saying the piller to be in height .9. Diameters. 1583Fulke Defence vii. 224 Iacob, Ioab, and Shemei which none but madde men will say to haue descended into a receptacle of soules. 1639Ld. Digby Lett. Conc. Relig. (1651) 53 Papias, whom St. Jerome..sayes to have been the first Author of it [Millenarianism]. 1706E. Ward Wooden World Diss. (1708) 42 It were great Malice, to say him to be a Man of no Principles.
(b)1585T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. 111 Diuers of them doe say to be descended of the line of Mahomet.
(c)1607Shakes. Cor. iv. v. 243 As warres in some sort may be saide to be a Rauisher, so [etc.]. 1615G. Sandys Trav. 152 This is said to haue hapned..about the time that the Judges began to governe in Israel. 1671Blagrave Astrol. Pract. Physick 165 A planet is said to be peregrine, when he is out of all essential dignities. 1803Davy in Phil. Trans. XCIII. 252 Catechu is said to be obtained from the wood of a species of the Mimosa. 1838T. Thomson Chem. Org. Bodies 980 The trees are then said to bleed. 1839H. T. De la Beche Rep. Geol. Cornwall, etc. iii. 72 This patch may be said to be dove-tailed into its highest part. 1846Lindley Veget. Kingd. 727 The fruit of Rhizophora Mangle is said to be sweet and edible. 1878Huxley Physiogr. ii. 21 Rocks which thus allow water to filter through them are said to be permeable.
g. With cognate obj. (See say n.4 4.)
c1400[see A. 7 α]. c1440York Myst. xxxii. 16 Therfore take hede... Þat none jangill nor jolle at my ȝate, Tille I haue seggid and saide all my sawe.
†h. to say (a person) shame, scandal, to make disgraceful accusations against. Obs.
a1225Ancr. R. 352 Preise him, laste him, do him scheome, seie him scheome al him is iliche leof. a1250Owl & Night. 50 (Jesus MS.) Ilome þu dest me grome & seist me boþe teone & schome. a1300Cursor M. 8914 ‘O godd’, coth þai, ‘said has sco scam.’ 1828Scott F.M. Perth xii, I will say them no scandal.
i. Phrase. to have something (nothing) to say to (or with): fig. to have (no) dealings with; of things, to have (no) connexion with or bearing upon.
1724De Foe Mem. Cavalier (1840) 267 We had nothing to say to him. 1780Mirror No. 75 (1787) III. 5 Perhaps you have something to say with the gentlemen who make the news. 1844W. G. Todd Ch. St. Patrick 27 All then that Rome had to say to the conversion of Ireland was simply this. 1871Earle Philol. Eng. Tongue (1887) 624 The imitation has nothing to say to the origin of the words. 1887G. T. Stokes in Dict. Chr. Biog. IV. 202 The use of the word Roman here..has nothing to say to the Church of Rome. 1888― Irel. & Celtic Ch. 151 With that controversy the Irish Church had nothing to say. 1904J. T. Fowler Durh. Univ. 21 The Churchmen of the North would have nothing to say to a Puritan and intrusive foundation.
j. to have (something, nothing, etc.) to say for oneself: to be able to adduce (something, nothing) in defence or extenuation of one's conduct. Also (colloq.), to have nothing to say for oneself: to be habitually silent from a retiring disposition or lack of vivacity.
1779F. Burney Diary (1891) I. 105 All that I can say for myself is, that I have always feared discovery [etc.]. 1850J. H. Newman Difficulties Anglicans i. vii. (1891) I. 221 Bishop Ken..could not take the oaths, and was dispossessed; but he had nothing special to say for himself.
k. Contrasted with do, in certain proverbial locutions.
Mod. colloq. That's easier said than done. No sooner said than done!
l. when all is said and done (and slight varr.): after all, in the long run, nevertheless, on balance.
c1560T. Ingelend Disobedient Child sig. A iii, Whan all is saide and all is done, Concernynge all thynges both more and lesse. 1583B. Melbancke Philotimus sig. S iij, It must be as y⊇ woman will, when all is said & done. a1785J. Hall-Stevenson Wks. (1795) I. 137 And yet, when all is said and done, This something's nothing but a Pun. 1886[see rumourer]. 1928M. Wilkinson Edict of Nantes (C.T.S.) 29 When all is said Bâville was responsible for a good deal of cruelty. 1930‘Sapper’ Finger of Fate 162 But when all is said and done, a prospective son-in-law is as important as any letter. 1937‘G. Orwell’ Road to Wigan Pier iv. 73 When all is said and done, the most important thing is that people shall live in decent houses and not in pigsties. 1952M. Laski Village v. 98 After all, Friday's pay-day when all's said and done. 1981R. Barnard Mother's Boys iv. 49, I know. Still, when all's said and done—.
m. what do you say to ―?: what is your response to ―?; fig., how would you like ―?, how would ― suit you?
1592Shakes. Rom. & Jul. iii. iv. 28 But what say you to Thursday? 1833J. Constable Let. 11 Jan. (1966) IV. 391 What do you say to all or any of Mr. White's ‘says’—his dogmatical manner has force. 1851Mrs. Stowe Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) II. xxiii. 77 What do you say to a game of backgammon? 1929Melody Maker Jan. 20/2 What do you say to a beaker of ‘the boy’? 1948M. Laski Tory Heaven vi. 84 I'm getting a bit peckish... What do you say to us going out and looking for a bite? 1980M. Gilbert Death of Favourite Girl ii. 23 What do you say we go outside and get a breath of fresh air?
n. that is saying (little, much, etc.) (and varr.): that is to concede (little, much, etc.); used to qualify or intensify a previous statement; it says much for (and varr.): it is much to the credit of; to say that (or one thing) for: to concede (the previous or following statement) as one point in favour of.
1806C. Wilmot Let. 23 Mar. in Russ. Jrnls. (1934) ii. 223 Her Lenity makes their Lot better perhaps than that of others, but that's saying very little for the System. 1849C. Brontë Let. 5 Apr. in C. Shorter C. Brontë & her Circle (1896) xvi. 440, I cannot perceive that she is feebler now than she was a month ago, though that is not saying much. 1853Lytton My Novel III. ix. ix. 48 No, I will say one thing for English statesmen, no man amongst them ever yet was the richer for place. Ibid. x. xx. 202 They beat the New Yorkers in manners. I'll say that for them. 1876J. Blackwood Let. 18 May in Geo. Eliot Lett. (1956) VI. 253 She remarked that..if people were no wiser in their speculations about more serious subjects..it did not say much for human wisdom. 1917E. Fenwick Diary 13 Nov. in Elsie Fenwick in Flanders (1981) 183 The worst and hardest day I've had for weeks and that's saying a good deal. 1942E. Paul Narrow St. vii. 59 He had with him a battery of the stuffiest lawyers in the Paris bar, and that is saying a lot. 1946E. O'Neill Iceman Cometh ii. 138 Sure. Harry's the greatest kidder in this dump and that's saying something! 1956B. Holiday Lady sings Blues (1973) xix. 154 Fishman had been around before the concert was a sellout, you could say that for him. 1965New Statesman 30 Apr. 670/1 It says a good deal for Mr Eyre that he..is the one Mr Powell himself seems to have favoured most. 1969K. Giles Death cracks Bottle vi. 64 The most impecunious peer in Ireland, which is saying something. 1975New Yorker 1 Dec. 47/3 Houtek was a Railroad Baron and acted the part, but he liked to make others feel important too, I will say that for him.
o. you('ve) said it: you are absolutely right; you have got the point completely; I agree with you entirely.
1919C. H. Darling Jargon Bk. 50 You said it, you said the right thing and I agree with you. 1925E. Hemingway Undefeated in This Quarter I. ii. 208 ‘If you stand in with Retana..you're a made man.’.. ‘You said it,’ the other waiter..said. ‘You said it then.’ 1929E. Linklater Poet's Pub ii. 34 ‘Peace is too exciting..’ said Joan. ‘You've said it, Miss Benbow.’ 1947‘N. Blake’ Minute for Murder i. 9 ‘What do they find?’ ‘Chay-oh [i.e. chaos],’ replied Nigel... ‘You said it.’ 1970N. Streatfeild Thursday's Child vii. 52 ‘It is a big place, there must be a lot of servants needed.’.. ‘You've said it.’
p. to say it with (something): to express one's feelings, make one's point, etc., by the use of (that thing); esp. and orig. in phr. say it with flowers, advertising slogan of the Society of American Florists, freq. in general and fig. use.
1918Florists' Review 3 Jan. 12/2 The slogan will be ‘Say It With Flowers’, and every florist who deals with the public should make that phrase a conspicuous feature of his advertising from the day the first S.A.F. page appears. 1921I. Berlin (song-title) Say it with music. 1925New Yorker 21 Feb. 8 (heading) Say it with scandal. 1928C. Sandburg Good Morning, America 17 Behold the proverbs of a people, a nation... Say it with flowers. Let one hand wash the other. The customer is always right. 1932Wodehouse Hot Water vi. 114 Here's this Gedge bird shoutin' about the plumbing of this Chatty-o and not saying it with flowers, neither. 1960G. Mikes How to be Inimitable 33, I used to say it with flowers... More gallant, no doubt... But with cognac it is so much quicker. 1974G. Mitchell Javelin for Jonah xiv. 175 ‘Why did you knife your science master?’ ‘We disagreed... So I say it with knives.’
q. you can say that again, phr. expressing whole-hearted agreement with a previous speaker's statement. colloq. (orig. U.S.).
1942Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch 29 Dec. 11/5 Arthur Murray keeps in step with his hobby, Broadway idiom... If you agree [to something said] you nod and add, ‘You can say that again, brother.’ 1950Sun (Baltimore) 1 May 12/2 The Senator wrote..that he did not ‘believe that savings caused by decreases in essential services constitute constructive economy.’ Senator Lehman can say that again. 1960Observer 20 Mar. 10/4 Mary:..Andy, it's serious! Andy: You can say that again! 1973Nature 12 Oct. 339/2 ‘I feel that here is an area that has not been thought out completely’, he writes; he can say that again. 1974‘E. Lathen’ Sweet & Low xi. 102 ‘Everybody here is waiting for Dreyer..to put some support into this market.’.. ‘You can say that again!’ The fervent statement came from a total stranger. 1981R. Barnard Mother's Boys vii. 70 ‘These teenagers are all alike, aren't they?’ ‘You can say that again,’ snarled Lill.
3. Absolute uses of senses 1 and 2.
a. With adv. so or thus instead of pronominal obj. (cf. 2 b); also in clause introduced by as. you don't say so! a colloquial expression of astonishment at some statement; similarly you don't say! (orig. U.S.), occas. also used sarcastically; as they say: phr. used to mark a preceding or following expression as being proverbial or hackneyed; if you say so: phr. denoting acceptance of a statement or an order, usu. with grudging or placatory overtones.
c1000Ags. Gosp. Mark xiv. 16 His leorning cnihtas..fundon hit eall swa he sæde. c1200Ormin 463 Þiss gode mann..Wass, alls I seȝȝde nu littlær, Ȝehatenn Zacaryas. 1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 8972 Wy seistou so. c1320R. Brunne Medit. 134 Þey þat þe hous haue sey seyn ryȝt so. 1340Ayenb. 96 Þanne he openede his mouþ..and ham þus zeayde. c1430Chev. Assigne 162 Thus he seythe to his wyfe in sawe as I telle. c1592Marlowe Jew of Malta (1633) H 3 b, Saist thou me so? 1611Shakes. Wint. T. ii. iii. 138 If thou refuse, And wilt encounter with my Wrath, say so. 1644Milton Areop. (Arb.) 63 If he beleeve things only because his Pastor sayes so. 1662Stillingfl. Orig. Sacræ ii. vi. §16. 202 Say you so? 1698Fryer Acc. E. Ind. & P. 262 As we are wont to say, Well done. 1749Smollett tr. Gil Blas (1782) III. 7 So saying, he drew his long rapier. 1779F. Burney Diary Feb. (1842) I. 183 No, you don't say so? 1814Southey Roderick xxv. 378 Thus saying, they withdrew a little way. 1842S. Kettell Quozziana 14 ‘We shall have an explosion before long, that will shake the State of Massachusetts to its uttermost foundations.’ ‘You don't say so!’ exclaimed I, in unfeigned alarm. 1873R. Broughton Nancy xvi, ‘You do not say so!’ cry I, in some astonishment. 1875Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. 386 Be persuaded by me, and do as I say. 1899R. Whiteing No. 5 John St. xiv. 128 You don't say so; why, I'm going to a meeting at his mother's house. 1912Mulford & Clay Buck Peters, Ranchman iv. 84 ‘An' I could never see how he done it.’ ‘You—don't—say,’ was Buck's thoughtful comment. 1930A. P. Herbert Water Gipsies xxii. 321 Ernest, as they say, ‘saw red’. 1932L. Golding Magnolia Street i. x. 171 ‘Father, indeed!.. As much 'is father as I'm Queen Alexandra!’ ‘You don't say!’ murmured Mr. Briggs. 1955L. P. Hartley Perfect Woman xiii. 121 She lets me go, and then catches me again. It's a game, as they say. 1956H. Kurnitz Invasion of Privacy iii. 30 ‘Okay. We've got a deal.’.. ‘If you say so, George. Anything you say.’ 1959E. H. Clements High Tension iii. 49 ‘Didn't you have a lodger, though, some time last year?’ The factor..was obviously..troubled at having told a lie. ‘If you say so, Kilmorrin.’ 1962N. Marsh Hand in Glove ii. 67 ‘The Scorpion's not here, George.’ ‘You don't say,’ Mr. Copper bitterly rejoined. 1976J. Bingham God's Defector vii. 101 ‘You can..watch who goes in, can't you?’ ‘If you say so.’ ‘I do say so.’ 1977J. Thomson Case Closed iii. 43 Water under the bridge, as they say. 1979R. Jeffries Murder begets Murder xiii. 83 ‘Heard the latest, Bert?.. That young filly was murdered.’ ‘You don't say, sir!’
fig.1613Shakes. Hen. VIII, iv. i. 54 All the rest are Countesses. 2 [Gent.] Their Coronets say so.
b. Used in parenthetic clause indicating the author of a quoted saying. (When the quotation purports to be exact, the order of verb and subj. is often inverted.) Also in parenthetic expressions like ‘shall I say?’, ‘let us say’: cf. 10. says who?: ‘who says so?’, used to challenge a previous speaker's remark. Occas. with retort ¶ says me; cf. ¶ says you below. slang (chiefly U.S.). Also parenthetic phr. shall we say (in quot. 1973, attrib. with ironic force).
c1230Hali Meid. 6 ‘I-her me, dohter’, he seið. 1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 921 Louerd he sede we beþ men wide idriue aboute. 1362Langl. P. Pl. A. i. 49 And he asked of hem of whom spac þe lettre..‘Ceesar’, þei seiden, ‘We seoþ wel vchone’. c1386Chaucer Shipman's Prol. 17 ‘Nay, bi godis soule, that shal be nat,’ Seide the Shipman. a1529Skelton Colyn Cloute 1230 It is to drede, men sayes, Lest they be Saduces As they be sayd sayne. a1585Polwart Flyting w. Montgomerie 175 Thou was begotten, some sayes mee, Betwixt the deuil and a dun kow. 1590Shakes. Mids. N. ii. ii. 62 Amen, to that faire prayer, say I. Ibid. iii. ii. 277 Why then you left me..In earnest, shall I say? 1644Symonds Diary (Camden) 48 A castle, belonging say they to a duke. 1692R. L'Estrange Fables lxxiii. 73 Shew me the Company (says the Adage) and I'll tell ye the Man. 1710Swift Jrnl. to Stella 9 Sept., The Duke of Ormond, they say, will be Lieutenant of Ireland. 1798Wordsw. We are Seven 6 She was eight years old, she said. 1882W. S. Gilbert Iolanthe i. Ld. Chancellor's Song, I'll work on a new and original plan, (Said I to myself—said I). 1914Kipling Let. 15 Sept. in Ld. Birkenhead Rudyard Kipling (1978) xviii. 279 Much water, or shall we say much blood, has flowed under the bridges since they were written. 1931M. E. Gilman Sob Sister x. 143 We can park a car there and spoon—says who! 1932‘Spindrift’ Yankee Slang 32 Says who?, challenge to a remark—what right have you to ‘say so’? 1938C. B. Kelland Dreamland vii. 86 ‘Miss Higg, you are guilty of reprehensible waste.’ ‘Says Who?’ ‘Says me.’ 1968Listener 30 May 699/1, I think the play may, shall we say, amplify light which does already exist but doesn't seem to have been noticed. 1971Black World June 81/2 ‘I just asked.’ ‘Had no business asking.’ ‘Says who?’ ‘Me, stupid!’ 1973E.-J. Bahr Nice Neighbourhood x. 104 Joe Walsh, Jack's shall-we-say housemate. 1977J. Crosby Company of Friends viii. 116 It's not one [sc. a news story] of ours..I read it with—shall we say, total astonishment. 1977J. Porter Who the Heck is Sylvia? xvi. 151 ‘One should never break promises to children.’ ‘Sez who?’
¶ In this use, the 3rd sing. pres. is often substituted colloq. for the pa. tense said. Hence, in vulgar speech or jocular imitations of it, says I, says you = ‘said I’, ‘said you’; says you is also (slang (orig. U.S.)) used in the present tense to convey doubt about, or contempt for, the remark of a previous speaker (freq. in form sez you).
In uneducated use often with repetition: ‘Says I to myself, says I’; ‘Well, says Mr. Smith, says he’.
1682Dryden & Lee Dk. Guise Epil., Jack Ketch, says I, 's an excellent Physician. 1700Congreve Way of World iii. v, Humh (says he) what you are a hatching some Plot (says he) you are so early abroad. 1700Swift Mrs. Harris' Petition 30 Says Cary, says he,..I never heard of such a thing. 1706De Foe True Relation etc. Early Wks. (1889) 443 Mrs. Bargrave asked her whether she would drink some tea. Says Mrs. Veal, ‘I do not care if I do’. 1712Hearne Collect. (O.H.S.) III. 381, I ask you, says he, because I am sure, if any one, you can give me information. 1720Gordon & Trenchard Independ. Whig (1728) 215 Says I to myself, This reverend ill-tongu'd Parson will certainly quarrel. 1784R. Bage Barham Downs I. 79, I believe, says I, it has caught your sister's dejection. 1825T. Hook Sayings Ser. ii. Doubts & F. ii, Because, says I to myself, says I, it may save them there unfortunate, innocent people. 1848Thackeray Van. Fair iii, ‘I bet you thirteen to ten that Sophy Cutler hooks either you or Mulligatawney before the rains’. ‘Done’, says I. 1852Dickens Bleak Ho. v, That warn't Chancery practice though, says you. 1887Henley Culture in the Slums i. 1 ‘O crikey, Bill!’ she ses to me, she ses. 1927Dunning & Abbott Broadway ii. 108 Steve's a fine fellow and he's just out for some innocent fun—Says you—Says I—. 1931Amer. Speech VI. 205 Says you, you say no, but I don't believe you. ‘Says me’ is the answer. 1931, etc. [see sez]. 1932J. Brophy English Prose v. 61 Oh yeah! Says you!—an expression of scornful disbelief. 1951Wodehouse Old Reliable iv. 53 Says you, if I may use a homely phrase indicating doubt and uncertainty. 1981M. C. Smith Gorky Park iii. iii. 328 ‘He's a murderer.’ ‘Says you.’
†c. To speak or tell of something; to speak for or against a person or thing. Obs.
971Blickl. Hom. 117 Þonne ᵹehyrdon we ær on þas halᵹan tide secgan be þære halᵹan þrowunga ures Drihtenes. a1175Cott. Hom. 237 Of þeses fif ceþen..we habbeð ȝeu ȝesed. c1205Lay. 13470 Ich wulle suggen eow uorð rihtes of mire muchele sorȝen. a1300Cursor M. 798 Her egain mai naman sai. 1340Ayenb. 16 Uerst we willeþ zigge of þe zenne of prede. a1352Minot Poems (ed. Hall) iii. 36 And þare he made his mone playne Þat no man suld say þare ogayne. 1377Langl. P. Pl. B. v. 10 For I say [= saw] þe felde ful of folke þat I before of seyde. c1400Mandeville (Roxb.) ix. 37 A kirk whare þe aungell said to þe schephirdes of þe birth of Criste. c1450St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 1362 Bosyl come, and to him say Of cuthbert purpose and his will. c1489Caxton Sonnes of Aymon vii. 162 As he wolde have sayd agenst the duke Naymes, there cam a yonge gentilman [etc.]. 1523Ld. Berners Froiss. I. xxx. 44 None durst say agaynst his opynion. 1534― Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546) H j, We haue saied of the hatred that this emperour had to trewandes. 1609Skene Reg. Maj. 13 Alswa gif some of them sayes for ane partie, and some for ane other. 1709Mrs. Manley Secret Mem. (1736) II. 175 My Lady herself can't say against it.
d. with certain advs., esp. well, also † soothly, truly (true), wisely, etc., the implied object being some particular saying. Somewhat arch.
1375Barbour Bruce vii. 258 ‘Sa ȝhe suthly?’ ‘Ȝha, certis, dame’. 1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) III. 239 ‘Þou seist wel’, quod þat oþer. c1400Sowdone Bab. 472 Beter myghte no man seyne. 1402Repl. Daw Topias in Polit. Poems (Rolls) II. 49 Jak, thou seist ful serpentli. a142526 Pol. Poems 103/1, I wole be mendid ȝif y say mys. c1450Merlin i. 5 Quod the gode man, ‘Ye sey amysse’. Ibid. ii. 35 Thou seiste trewe. 1567Harman Caveat xix. 73 And was not this a good acte? nowe, howe saye you? 1590Marlowe 2nd Pt. Tamburl. v. i, Wel said, let there be a fire presently. 1598Shakes. Merry W. ii. i. 226 Thou shalt haue egresse and regresse (said I well) and thy name shall be Broome. 1697Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 736 For sev'n continu'd Months, if Fame say true, The wretched Swain his Sorrows did renew. 1785Liberal Amer. I. 47, I find Sir Edward Hambden is with you, and, if fame say true, a charming fellow he is. 1831Scott Ct. Rob. xvi, The Immortal, so called, becomes now, if priests say true, an immortal indeed.
†e. In perf. (pluperf.) tense: when he has said = ‘when he has finished speaking’. Also, in pa. t. he said, used in narrative poetry (after L. dixit or the Homeric ἦ ῥα) after the conclusion of a speech. Obs.
c1205Lay. 4150 Þe Dunewale hauede isæd al his folc luuede þene ræd. 1400Destr. Troy 8916 When the souerain hade said, þen he sest here. 1525Ld. Berners Froiss. II. ccxxxiii. 722 Whan he had sayd, then he was aunswered, howe the pope shulde take counsayle to answere. 1595Shakes. John ii. i. 231 When I haue saide, make answer to vs both! 1600Nashe Summers Last Will I j, Loe, I haue said, this is the totall summe. 1667Milton P.L. v. 869, ix. 664. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 722 She said, and from his Eyes the fleeting Fair Retir'd like subtle Smoke dissolv'd in Air. 1712–14Pope Rape Lock i. 115 He said; when Shock, who thought she slept too long, Leap'd up, and wak'd his mistress with his tongue. 1738Gray Tasso 39 Scarce had he said, before the warriors' eyes When mountain-high the waves disparted rise. 1757W. Wilkie Epigoniad i. 24 He said. The chiefs with indignation burn'd; And Diomed submitting thus return'd.
f. to say well, say evil of, † by: to speak well or evil of. Now rare. † Also in indirect passive.
a1250Owl & Night. 9 (Jesus MS.) And eyþer seyde of oþres custe Þat alre wrste þat hi ywuste. 1445tr. Claudian in Anglia XXVIII. 269 Thou seith of hem evir wele. 1470–85Malory Arthur xiii. xix. 639 My name is sir Launcelot du lake that hath ben ryght wel said of. Ibid. xxi. i. 840 Thus was syr Arthur depraued and euyl sayd of. 1547Homilies i. Of Contention i. T j b, Saie well by them, that saie euill by you. 1551–6R. Robinson tr. More's Utopia Ep. (Arb.) 15 Them which can say well by nothing. 1713Swift Jrnl. to Stella 16 May, Your new Bishop acts very ungratefully. I cannot say so bad of it as he deserved.
g. Contrasted with do. (Cf. 2 k.)
1382Wyclif Mat. xxiii. 3 Sothely thei seien, and don nat. [So in the later versions.] c1450tr. De Imitatione iii. xxxv. 103 Shal I be like a man þat saiþ & doþe not?
4.
†a. Of words: To mean, signify. Also, is (for) to say = ‘signifies’. Obs.
c1000ælfric De Vet. Test. (Gr.) 7/42 Cantica canticorum, ðæt seᵹþ on Englisc ealra sanga fyrmest. c1230Hali Meid. 6 Nim ȝeme hwet euch worð beo sunderliche to seggen. c1350S. Ambrosius 15 in Horstm. Altengl. Leg. (1878) 8/2 Oþer elles þou maiȝt sei þat Ambros Is seid of ambra and syos: Syos is to seyn ‘God’ riht, And ambrum good sauour pliht. c1386Chaucer Prioress' T. 71 Noght wiste he what this latyn was to seye, ffor he so yong and tendre was of age. 1450–1530Myrr. our Ladye 1 These wordes are writen in holy scrypture & are thus to say in englyshe. 1541Copland Guydon's Quest. K iij, Pigneum in Arabyke is to saye the ars hole. 1604E. G[rimstone] D'Acosta's Hist. Indies v. xvii. 374 A lake..which they call Ezapangue, which is to say, water of blood.
b. that is to say (orig. gerundial inf.): used to introduce a more explicit or intelligible re-statement of what immediately precedes, or a limiting clause necessary to make the statement correct. Sometimes used sarcastically to introduce a statement of the real fact which a quoted statement misrepresents or euphemistically veils. Cf. F. c'est-à-dire.
c1175Lamb. Hom. 123 Ðet is to seggane: Gif þa hefdmen of þissere worlde hefden icnawen crist. c1200Trin. Coll. Hom. 3 Aduent þat is seggen on englis ure louerd ihesu cristes tocume. c1330Spec. Gy de Warewyke 413 Þis is to seie, i telle þe: ‘Þe clene of herte, blessed þeih be’. a1340Hampole Psalter iv. 1 Þat is at say, fra anguys and sarynes þou has broght me in til brede of gastly ioy. c1386Chaucer Prol. 181 A fissh þat is waterlees, That is to seyn, a Monk out of his Cloystre. c1391― Astrol. Prol. 26 Writen in hir owne tonge, that is to sein, in Latin. 1395E.E. Wills (1882) 4, I bequethe to the same Thomas, the stoffe longyng therto, that is to seye, my beste fetherbed [etc.]. a1400in Halliwell Rara Mathem. (1841) 58 Þe perpendicle þat es to say þe threde whereon þe plumbe henges. c1400Rule St. Benet (Prose) viii. 15 Þat es hele of þa þat ere in sekenes, þat es at say in sinne. c1440Gesta Rom. xliii. 172 (Harl. MS.), Seing, thus, Quomodo fiet istud? this is to seye, how shulde this be I-done? 1471Fortescue Wks. (1869) 530 His highnes hath now both titles, that is to saynge his auncient title,..and this new title. 1486Bk. St. Albans, Hawking b ij b, Bot it tempur yowre hawke that is to say ensayme yowre hawke. 1539Great Bible title, The Byble in English; that is to saye, the Content of all the Holy Scripture. 1568Grafton Chron. II. 130 Two Aldermen more.., that is to say, Arnold Thedmare, & Henry Walmode. 1677Lauderdale in L. Papers (1885) III. lvii. 89 They pretend they cannot suppress these disorders, that is to say they will doe nothing towards it. 1687A. Lovell tr. Thevenot's Trav. ii. 25 Three hours after, that's to say, about eleven a Clock. 1864Bryce Holy Rom. Emp. vi. (1875) 77 Francia Occidentalis, that is to say, Neustria and Aquitaine.
†c. to say: = ‘namely’, ‘to wit’. Obs.
1547Hooper Declar. Christ & Office v. D iij, Sainct Paule callith Christ..the minister and seruant of the saynctes to say of souche as be here lyuing in this troblyd and persecutyd churche. Ibid. vi. E viij, Hym that had the imperie and dominion of deathe to say the deuill.
5. a. With obj. an infinitive or a subjunctive clause and const. dative: To tell (a person) to do something. In modern colloq. use: (a) const. for; (b) without const., the personal object being understood from the context.
971Blickl. Hom. 47 Þæt hi secggan þæm Godes folce þæt hi Sunnandaᵹum & mæssedaᵹum Godes cyrican ᵹeorne secan. c1250Gen. & Ex. 4114 Sey him on ðin stede to gon. a1300Cursor M. 6063 Says to mi folk on þiskin wis, Þat þai me mak a sacrifice. c1440Jacob's Well xxxi. 203 Þanne saye hem þat þei take of suche an hucche for þat is trewly gett, & do þat for me. a1533Ld. Berners Huon lxxxiii. 260 Say vnto hym that he drynke to you in the name of good peace. 1906Dialect Notes III. 154 The doctor said for me not to eat a pickle. 1929E. Hemingway Farewell to Arms xii. 87, I woke Georgetti, the other boy who was drunk, and offered him some water. He said to pour it on his shoulder and went back to sleep. 1934D. L. Sayers Nine Tailors 72 ‘Why is that kept locked, Mr. Godfrey?’.. ‘So Rector said to fix a lock the way they couldn't get the trap-door open.’ 1946Publ. Amer. Dial. Soc. vi. 26 She said for us to be there by eight o'clock. 1955W. Denlinger Complete Boston i. 158 Without asking the price, the woman said to buy the dog. 1959Times 20 June 7/7 Father said for Chris to take one of the lanterns. 1965New Statesman 30 Apr. 687/1 On no other terms than as a parody could the book [sc. N. Mailer's American Dream] carry conviction. Its first sentence pals up with Jack Kennedy; its last paragraph includes a message from the grave from Marilyn Monroe (‘Marilyn says to say hello’).
b. In pass., of a person: To be ruled, submit to command or advice. Now dial.
1588Wills & Inv. N.C. (Surtees 1860) 321 Whom I make my soule executors, equally together, wyllinge and commandinge them that they shalbe sayd and ruled by Ambrose Lancaster and Roger Megson, if [etc.]. 1643Trapp Comm. Gen. xxxix. 10 Satan will not be said with a little. 1855Whitby Gloss. s.v. Sayed, In spite of all I can do, she wont be sayed. 1888‘R. Boldrewood’ Robbery under Arms xxxix, Father didn't get well all at once. He went back twice..and wouldn't be said by Aileen.
6. a. With obj. an indirect question: To declare or make known (who, what, how, whether, etc.). † In early use const. dat. of person (equivalent to the modern tell with direct obj.).
a1000Riddles xx. 9 Saᵹa hwæt ic hatte. c1175Lamb. Hom. 3 Þis godspel [for Palm Sunday] seð [MS. sed] hu þe helend nehlechede to-ward ierusalem þare burh to dei mid his apostles. c1200Trin. Coll. Hom. 21 We habbeð bigunnen to sege [? = seȝe] ou on englis hwat bitocneð þe crede [etc.]. c1205Lay. 4613 Ah ȝef ȝe wullen us seuggen ȝet ȝe mawen libben whonene ȝe beð icumene. a1300Cursor M. 3853 And siþen he did him for to sai Quat was þe chesiun of his wai. 1390Gower Conf. I. 222 Bot of Envie, If ther be more in his baillie Towardes love, sai me what. c1449Pecock Repr. i. iii. 16 Seie to me also where is Holi Scripture is ȝouen the hundrid parti of the teching which [etc.]. c1485E.E. Misc. (Warton Club) 29 How ferful trowly there is no tong can saye. a1529Skelton Agst. Garnesche i. 13 But sey me yet, Syr Satropas, what auctoryte ye haue..to calle me a knaue? 1667Milton P.L. vii. 40 Say Goddess, what ensu'd. a1771Gray Amatory Lines 7 Ah! say, Fellow-swains, how these symptoms befell me? 1884Law Times LXXVII. 369/2 It was not then necessary for the court to say authoritatively whether it was right or not. Mod. Did he say whether he had been successful? How far these figures can be trusted the writer does not say.
b. From the 18th c. often in expressions like ‘it is hard to say’, ‘I cannot say’, where the verb comes contextually to mean: To judge, decide.
1709Pope Ess. Crit. 1 'Tis hard to say, if greater want of skill Appear in writing or in judging ill. 1736Butler Anal. i. iii. 52 No one can say, how considerable this Uneasiness and Satisfaction may be. 1891‘J. S. Winter’ Lumley x, What the end of it all would have been I really cannot say.
c. absol. In the imperative, introducing a direct question. In early use often const. dat.; = ‘tell (me, us)’. Now only poet.
The U.S. colloquial say seems, when introducing a question as well as when prefixed to a statement of fact, to be a shortening of I say (see 12 b).
c1200Ormin 10292 Seȝȝ uss, arrt tu profete. a1225Leg. Kath. 2241 Sei, þu Sathanesses sune,..hwet constu to þeos men þet tu þus leadest? a1300Cursor M. 5005 ‘Sais me’, coth iacob, ‘how es þis, Þat o mi childir an i misse?’ a1352Minot Poems (ed. Hall) xi. 25 Say now, sir Iohn of France how saltou fare? 1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) IV. 303 Sey me, ȝonge man, was þy moder ever in Rome? a1490Pope Gregory's Trental 87 in Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS. 263 Sey me, modur, wiþ-outen feyne, Whi art þou put to al þis peyne? 1586Marlowe 1st Pt. Tamburl. ii. v, Why say theridamas, wilt thou be a king? 1605Shakes. Lear ii. iv. 142 Say? How is that? 1741–2Gray Agrippina 92 Tell me, say, This mighty emperor,..Has he beheld the glittering front of war? 1814F. S. Key Star-spangled Banner 7 O! say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free? 1896A. E. Housman Shropshire Lad xxiv, Say, lad, have you things to do?
†7. To deliver (a speech, a discourse); to relate (a story); to express, give (thanks); to tell, speak (truth, lies); to express (one's opinion). Obs.
c888K. ælfred Boeth. xxx. §1 Þa ongon he eft seggan spell & cwæð. 971Blickl. Hom. 103 On eallum tidum secggan we him þanc ealra his miltsa. c1205Lay. 3032 Cordoille iherde þa lasinge þe hire sustren seiden þon kinge. Ibid. 4620 We wullet soð sucgen. a1250Owl & Night. 98 (Jesus MS.) Hwar bi men seggeþ a vorbysne. a1300Cursor M. 4582 O þis ioseph sai me þi dome, And giue me þar-of god consail. c1350Will. Palerne 593 Seiȝth me al ȝour seknesse & what so sore ȝow greuis. c1386Chaucer Man of Law's Prol. 46 But nathelees certeyn I kan right now no thrifty tale seyn. c1380Wyclif Wks. (1880) 29 Þus crist spekiþ to þe iewis & axeþ hem whi þei bileuen not to hym ȝif he seiþe trewþe. 1429Rolls of Parlt. IV. 343/1 No persone of the seide Counseill, shall conceyve..wrath, aȝeins any other of the seide Counseill, for saiying his advys or entent. 1463Bury Wills (Camden) 17 Item I wyll that Maistr Thomas Harlowe sey the sermon at my interment. 1470Henry Wallace xi. 1214 Master Barbour, quhilk was a worthi clerk, He said the Bruce amang his othir werk. c1489Caxton Sonnes of Aymon xxiv. 526 And whan the kyng simon herde mawgis speke so, he said him grete thanke. 1498Coventry Leet Bk. (E.E.T.S.), There was a solempne sermon seyde, where the Maire there sette betwixt both presidentes. 1544Patten Exped. Scot. Pref. a v, The whiche I had, or rather (to saie truth and shame the deuel, for out it wool) I stale. a1568R. Ascham Scholem. i. (Arb.) 81 Where they may freely say their mindes. 1657Burton's Diary (1828) I. 334 Mr. Caryl only prayed, the other two preached, and very good sermons they said.
†8. To speak of, mention, enumerate, describe.
a1225Ancr. R. 346 Lihte gultes beteð þus anonriht, bi ou suluen and þauh siggeð ham ine schrifte. a1375Joseph Arim. 70, I am not worþi to seyn moni of his werkes. a1400–50Alexander 5551 And oþir sellis he saȝe at sai wald he neuir. c1400Destr. Troy 5204 The same yle I said you, Cicill is calt.
9. a. To recite or repeat (something that has a prescribed form); occas. to recite from memory, in contradistinction to reading. Often in traditional collocations, as to say grace, say a lesson, say (a) mass, say a prayer, (say one's prayers).
In ritual use say and sing are sometimes equivalent; but say is the wider term, and seems often to have been applied distinctively to recitation without note.
c1200Trin. Coll. Hom. 17 Ich wille..segge ou þe crede word after word. a1225Ancr. R. 24 A þisse wise ȝe muwen, ȝif ȝe wulleð, siggen ower Paternostres. a1300Cursor M. 28248 My prayers say was me ful lathe. 1303R. Brunne Handl. Synne 10429 Ȝyf one [sc. a mass] for me were specyale seyde. c1330Chron. Wace (Rolls) 93, I see in song, in sedgeyng tale of Erceldoun & of Kendale, Non þam says as þai þam wroght. a1350Peter & Paul 292 in Horstm. Altengl. Leg. (1881) 67 Þan to þe body he made him boun And sayd þore his coniurisoun. 1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) III. 7 Dauid..made..instrumentis of musik, in whiche þe dekenes schulde seie ympnes and songes. 1415E.E. Wills (1882) 23 That ther be x. Ml. masses Isayde for me of gode prestes. c1430Pilgr. Lyf Manhode ii. xviii. (1869) 82 The gospel that j haue herd seyd [Fr. chanter] in oure toun. c1431Rec. St. Mary at Hill 14 An honest Preest sufficiantly lerned in dyvynete to syng & sey dyuyne seruice in the said Chapell. c1530H. Rhodes Bk. Nurture in Babees Bk. 81 And whyle that grace is saying, friend, looke that ye make no noyse. 1544Exhort. to Prayer A ix b, That whyche is printed in blacke letters is to be sayde or song of the prieste. 1602Marston Ant. & Mel. Induct., Faith, we can say our parts. c1616S. Ward Coal from Altar (1627) 74 Sermons..so deliuered, as if one were acting a part, or saying a lesson by heart. 1641J. Trappe Theol. Theol. viii. 307 They could not say Psalmes..by heart. 1832W. Palmer Orig. Liturg. I. 244 Collects to be said at matins and evensong. 1858Longfellow Birds of Passage i. Children ix, Ye are better than all the ballads That ever were sung or said. 1861M. Pattison Ess. (1889) I. 48 The Germans..had their own masses said in it [this church] on special days. 1884J. Gilmour Mongols xviii. 212 In the act of disrobing, prayers are said most industriously.
†b. absol. with reference to church services.
c1375Lay Folks Mass-bk. (B.) 27 When þe preyst says, or yf he syng, To hym þou gyf gud herkenyng. 1439in Ancestor July (1904) 16, I bequethe to the person for seying and syngynge atte my dirige viij d. 1558Kennedy in Wodrow Soc. Misc. (1844) 151 He can nolder sing nor say. 1607Topsell Four-f. Beasts 106 Within a short space none of them were able either to say, reade, pray, or sing, in all the monastery. 1790Burke Fr. Rev. Wks. V. 291 They are as usefully employed as those who neither sing nor say.
10. On the analogy of expressions like ‘let us say’, ‘shall we say?’, etc. (referable to senses 1–3), where the verb has contextually the sense of ‘suppose’, ‘assume’, the imperative say is idiomatically used:
a. to introduce a clause, with the sense ‘supposing’, ‘on the assumption that’;
b. parenthetically, to indicate that a preceding sentence expresses a supposition or a selected instance;
c. prefixed to a designation of number, quantity, date, etc. to mark it as an approximate guess or as representing a hypothetical case;
d. immediately following a word or phrase to show that it represents a supposition, an instance, an approximation, or the like.
In commercial documents say is also used, without any implication of inexactness, to introduce any varied repetition of a numerical or quantitative statement: e.g., ‘a shipment of 215 (say two hundred and fifteen) tons of coal’; ‘thirteen stones (say 182 pounds)’; ‘four editions of 2000 copies each, or say in all 8000 copies’. Cf. Ger. sage, Da. siger, Sw. säger; the two last are indicative present, either 1st or 3rd pers. sing.; Du. has zegge (old form of zeg, 1st pers.), and Fr. has je dis similarly used.
c1596Sir T. More i. i. 159 Well, say tis read, what is your further meaning in the matter. 1601Shakes. Twel. N. i. iv. 23 Say I do speake with her (my Lord) what then? 1643Trapp Comm. Gen. xlvi. 1 But say it had been out of his way. 1656Earl of Monmouth tr. Boccalini's Advts. fr. Parnass. ii. lxxxvi. (1674) 238 When a Prince, say it be not out of private hatred, but justly doth vex any great Officer. 1736Butler Anal. i. iii. 66 Pleasure and Pain are indeed to a certain Degree, say to a very high Degree, distributed amongst us without any apparent Regard to the Merit or Demerit of Characters. 1837Athenæum No. 480, 6 A Venus—say of Parian marble in early Greek style. 1861Dickens Gt. Expect. lii, Early in the week, or say Wednesday. 1863Kingsley in Lett. etc. (1877) II. 147 The wages of my people..average 11s. per week... Harvesting, say {pstlg}5 more. 1875Cayley in Q. Jrnl. Pure & Appl. Math. XIII. 321 Radius vectors belonging to the same angle (or say opposite angles). 1876Gladstone Homeric Synchr. 143 But if the period of (say) 100 years subdivides itself. 1898Allbutt's Syst. Med. V. 450 Equal volumes of, say, thirty and forty-fold diluted normal acid. 1927New Republic 12 Oct. 208/1, I daresay the drummer sees no difference between Gary and, say, Newark. 1937‘G. Orwell’ Road to Wigan Pier vi. 100 If he were, say, an Indian or Japanese coolie, who can live on rice and onions, he wouldn't get fifteen shillings a week—he would be lucky if he got fifteen shillings a month. 1938W. Stevens Connoisseur of Chaos in Parts of World (1942) 49 An upper, particular bough in, say, Marchand. 1940W. Faulkner Hamlet i. ii. 40 In Ratliff it was that hearty celibacy as of a lay brother in a twelfth-century monastery—a gardener, a pruner of vines, say. 1944S. Bellow Dangling Man 85 Little since then has worked upon me with such force as, say, the sight of a driver trying to raise his fallen horse. 1951W. Faulkner Requiem for Nun iii. 231 To boil for an instant to the surface like a chip or a twig—a match-stick or a bubble, say, too weightless to give resistance for destruction to function against. 1966Listener 15 Sept. 388/3 A production volume of say, 20,000 units a year. 1977L. Meynell Hooky gets Wooden Spoon iii. 40 Come in about six, say. 1977Proc. Classical Assoc. LXXIV. 14 In very special circumstances, you might be pressured into parenthood; say, you came from a particularly respected royal line which your subjects felt should continue.
11. a. The inf. to say is used in parenthetic phrases with adv. or obj., as so to say, shortly to say, soothly to say; sooth or truth to say, to say (the) truth; shame to say, etc. (Cf. senses 2, 3, 7.) † to say better: = ‘more correctly speaking’.
a1200Vices & Virtues 11 Soþ to seggen, ic not ȝif ich auerȝete ani ðing dede ðat [etc.]. 1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 3747 Bote to sigge [v.rr. segge, seye] ssortliche þer nas ver ne ner Of prowesse ne of corteisie in þe world is per. a1352Minot Poems (ed. Hall) i. 81 Þare dwelled oure king, þe suth to saine, With his menȝe a litell while. c1386Chaucer Prol. 284 For sothe he was a worthy man with alle, But sooth to seyn, I noot how men hym calle. Ibid. 468 Gat tothed was she, soothly for to seye. c1400Mandeville (1839) xvi. 176 And schortly to seye ȝou; thei suffren [etc.]. 1437Libel of Eng. Policy in Polit. Poems (Rolls) II. 181 For here martis bene feble, shame to saye. 1484Caxton Fables of æsop iv. viii, Oftyme for to saye trouthe men lese theyre lyues. 1577–87Harrison England ii. i. 136/2 in Holinshed, And to saie truth, one..of these small liuings is of so little value, that [etc.]. 1585T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. iv. xv. 130 The auncient towne of the Sun called Heliopolis, or to say better, Solos or Soloe. 1601Shakes. All's Well ii. ii. 12 And indeed such a fellow, to say precisely, were not for the Court. 1710Swift Jrnl. to Stella 30 Nov., But, to say the truth, the present Ministry have a difficult task, and want me [etc.]. 1823M. R. Mitford in Lady's Mag. Sept. 501/2 My flowers..withered and faded and pined away; they almost, so to say, panted for drought. 1845E. Warburton Crescent & Cross I. 311 We had been already five weeks in Savagedom,..and, to say the truth, we had had enough of it. 1886C. E. Pascoe London of To-day xxvi. (ed. 3) 241 Having now, so to say, presented our humble duty to the Lord Mayor..let us retrace our steps. Ibid. xli. (ed. 3) 354 The investigation of this question, which, truth to say, was one of importance. 1966Listener 10 Feb. 210/1 The part of the picture so to say nearest you, the foreground, the front plane, is painted to represent a doorway..which frames the main subject of the picture beyond.
b. not to say{ddd}: used (a) to imply that the speaker is content with a more moderate statement than that which he might have made; (b) colloq. = ‘not what one may call{ddd}’, ‘not{ddd}, properly speaking’.
1736Ainsworth Lat.-Eng. Dict., Nedum, not to say. 1857Trollope Barchester T. xliv, ‘Am not I [growing old], my dear?’ ‘No, papa, not old—not to say old’. Mod. His language was irreverent, not to say blasphemous.
c. to say nothing of{ddd}: used to refer in passing to subjects that might be used to strengthen the speaker's case; cf. not to mention (so-and-so) (mention v. 1 a).
1934Webster, Say nothing of, not to take into consideration (something too important to be neglected). 1962Home Managem. (Homecraft Ser.) 27 Much damage is caused to dressing-table and bed-side table tops by spilled cosmetics and perfumes, to say nothing of marks..caused by that early-morning cup of tea. 1966Listener 28 July 126/1 In an industry that has experienced Northcliffe, Hearst, and Beaverbrook, to say nothing of Bartholomew and Cudlipp, this seems unlikely. 1976J. Crosby Nightfall xxxii. 191 Elf was her revolutionary sister-in-arms... To say nothing of her lover.
12. I say has various idiomatic uses.
a. Introducing a word, phrase, or statement repeated from the preceding sentence (usually in order to place it in a new connexion). Now somewhat rare.
c1220Bestiary 680 After him prophetes alle miȝte her non him [Adam] maken on stalle, on stalle, i seie, ðer he er stod. 1540Great Bible, Ps. cxxx. 6 My soule flyeth vnto the Lorde, before the mornyng watche (I saye) before the mornynge watche. 1563Winȝet tr. Vincentius Lirin. To Q. Marie, Wks. (S.T.S.) II. 7 The mony diuerse..sectis, raigeing..amangis the professouris of Christis name—raigeing I say, nocht only aganis..the haly, catholik Kirk, bot [etc.]. 1688Boyle Final Causes iv. 161 For this reason, I say, I thought it a part of my duty. 1719De Foe Crusoe i. (Globe) 94, I took out one of the Bibles..; I say, I took it out, and brought both that and the Tobacco with me to the Table. 1833Keble Serm. vi. (1848) 134 The case is, I say, conceivable, of a government..deliberately throwing off the restraint. 1906Belloc Hills & Sea Introd. 11 They took a rotten old leaky boat (they were poor and could afford no other)—they took, I say, a rotten old leaky boat.
b. colloq. quasi-int. Used to call attention to what is about to be said. (In N. Amer. shortened to say.) Also, as a mere exclamation expressive of surprise, delight, dismay, or indignant protest. I say, I say, I say, (theatr.) formula used to introduce a joke; also as attrib. phr.
1611Beaum. & Fl. Knt. Burning Pest. iii. v, I say, open the doore, and turne me out those mangy companions. 1830F. Trollope Notebk. in Domestic Manners Americans (1949) 427 Say! 1852Lantern (N.Y.) I. 122/1 Say—d'you run with our machine? 1857J. G. Holland Bay Path xxvi. 336 Say! What are you laughing at? 1888Amer. Humorist 5 May 72/1 Say, boys, let's climb the mountain. 1890L. Falconer Mlle. Ixe iii. 80, I say! won't it be glorious? 1913J. London Let. 20 Nov. (1966) 410 The galley stove kept going..and hot coffee—say! 1931Punch 24 June 692 (caption) Patient (being shown into very modern consulting-room): ‘I say, I didn't come to be operated on.’ 1932W. Faulkner Light in August viii. 172 Well, say. Can you tie that. 1967Listener 3 Aug. 154/3 The sort of performers who, every summer up and down the coasts of England, bounce cheerfully on to a number of creaking stages, shouting ‘Hello, hello, hello!’ or ‘I say, I say, I say!’ 1968M. Richler in R. Weaver Canad. Short Stories 2nd Ser. 191 The middle-aged couple alighted from the car. ‘Say,’ Mr Cooper said, ‘you've got quite a baby here.’ 1968in Partridge Dict. Catch Phrases (1977) 104/2 A character, mid-stage, is interrupted by a ‘comic’ rushing up to him yelling ‘I say, I say, I say’. First character shushes him off with ‘Kindly leave the stage’; intruder persists with some fatuous question. 1969Listener 6 Mar. 314/1 Making idiotic jokes—‘I say, I say’ jokes. 1976Times 3 Feb. 14/3, I say, I've been to the ballet. 1976P. Dickinson King & Joker viii. 114 They..grinned inanely with heads bent..and legs in the pose of a comedy routine duo. ‘I say I say I say,’ said Louise, ‘your public face isn't as good as mine, darling.’
†c. Book-keeping. Formerly used to introduce the correction of an error which the book-keeper perceives as soon as he has made it, but does not expunge, in order not to disfigure the page.
1793Nemnich Comptoir-Lex., Engl. [with example ‘Bought of M. N. I say Sold M. N.’]
d. I'll say: used to denote enthusiastic assent (either absol. or with object or dependent clause). Also I'll say so.
1924Dialect Notes V. 276 Say: I'd ―, I'll ― (both approv.). Ibid. 277 So:..I'll say ― (agreement). 1926S.P.E. Tract xxiv. 123 I'll say it is, it's my opinion, certainly. 1926Maines & Grant Wise-Crack Dict. 10/1 I'll say so, emphatic agreement. 1943N. Marsh Colour Scheme vi. 99 ‘Does he want to keep him quiet?’.. ‘I'll say! Too right he wants to keep him quiet.’ 1945P. Cheyney (title) I'll say she does. 1954E. McLeod tr. Colette's Vagabond i. iv. 35 ‘Hullo, Stephen! Good house?’ ‘I'll say!’ 1960N. Hilliard Maori Girl 93 ‘Do you miss home much?’ ‘I'll say. Not so much now, though.’ 1972G. Durrell Catch me a Colobus v. 95 Would we, by any chance, be interested in a pair of leopards? ‘I'll say we would! Why? Do you know where there are some?’ 1974S. Woods Done to Death 218 ‘You've taken what might have been a knock down blow with a good deal of courage.’ ‘I'll say she has,’ said Hugh. 1979‘J. le Carré’ Smiley's People (1980) iv. 53 ‘He was a declining asset, as all ex-agents are.’.. ‘I'll say,’ said Strickland sotto voce.
13. Combined with advs.a. say away intr. = say on. rare.
1821Scott Kenilw. viii, Say away, therefore, as confidently as if you spoke to your father.
†b. say forth intr. = say on. Obs.
1390Gower Conf. I. 47 ‘Sey forth’, quod sche, ‘and tell me how’. Ibid. 310 Thus have I, fader, said my wille; Say ye now forth, for I am stille. 1808[see say n.4 4].
c. say on. In the imperative = ‘say what you wish to say’. Now only intr.; in early use also trans.
13..Seuyn Sag. (W.) 1227 ‘Sei on dame!’ and sche bigan To tellen als a fals wimman. 1375Barbour Bruce xii. 199 Tharfor sais on ȝour will planly. c1489Caxton Sonnes of Aymon vi. 146 ‘But here my wordes, yf it playse you’. ‘saye on hardely’, sayd the kynge. 1538Bale God's Promises iv. (1744) 21, I wyll first conclude, and then saye on thy mynde. 1611Bible 1 Kings ii. 14 He said moreouer, I haue somewhat to say vnto thee. And she saide, Say on. 1667Milton P.L. viii. 228 Say therefore on. 1851Tennyson E. Morris 57 Yet say on.
d. say out. trans. (a) To say openly. † (b) To finish saying, say to the end (obs.).
c1407Lydg. Reas. & Sens. 4583, I say yt out, me lyst nat rovne, Thus ye shuld hir name expovne. 1692R. L'Estrange Fables ci. 95 He had no sooner say'd out his Say, but [etc.]. 1768,a1843[see say n.4 4]. 1864J. H. Newman Apol. iv. (1904) 125/1, I apologize for saying out in controversy charges against the Church of Rome, which withal I affirm that I fully believed at the time when I made them.
e. say over. trans. To repeat from memory.
1560J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 231 Let the poorer sorte oftymes saye over theyr Pater noster, and after receyve the Sacrament. 1625Bacon Ess., Friendship (Arb.) 177 Or that a Man in Anger is as Wise as he that hath said ouer the foure and twenty Letters. 1680Baxter Answ. Stillingfl. xxxvi. 60 It is lawful to hear an ignorant raw Lad, that saith over a dry Sermon as a Boy saith his Lesson. 1884W. C. Smith Kildrostan 47 Doris made a comic rhyme of it, And said it over to me.
14. Comb.: say-grace, one who says grace at meals; † say-nay, a refusal; say-nothing a., silent. See also say-so, say-well.
1688C. Hoole School-Colloq. 35 Perhaps you should have a Say-nay (or a Canvas). 1788V. Knox Winter Even. I. iii. ii. 243 The race of formal spintexts and solemn say-graces is nearly extinct. 1838Lytton Alice v. v, She with her quiet, say-nothing manner slips through all my careless questionings. 1853James Agnes Sorel (1860) I. 98 One of your discreet, see-everything, say-nothing serving-men.
▸ In phrases introducing a concessive clause. having said that (also that said, that being said): even so; nevertheless.
1908Manitoba Morning Free Press (Electronic text) 1 Aug. The story of Sir James Douglas might have been told in smaller compass... That being said, James Douglas certainly deserved a place among the makers of Canada. 1923Times 14 Aug. 5/2 The change does not appear to be popular... That said, there is little to criticize in the performance last night. 1975A. V. Grimstone in K. Sekida Zen Training 21, I believe it would be possible..to mount a convincing refutation of the argument... However, having said that, I would add that I do not believe it is really necessary to defend the practice of Zen in that way. 1986C. Snyder Strategic Def. Deb. 222 We have little choice; today's technology provides no alternative. That being said, we will press for radical reductions in the number and power of strategic and intermediate-range nuclear arms. 1994Surf Mag. No. 22 71/2 For a surfer with a lack of knowledge, it could be confusing—but having said that the surfing is excellent. 2002PSM Jan. 50/2, I expect that Sony knows that the online peripherals will have a less than adequate tie-ratio to the box. That said, Sony will certainly be moving toward a strong online strategy.
▪ VI. † say, v.2
Forms: 4–6, 8 (9 Sc.) sey, 4–8 say, 4 saȝe, 5 saie.
[Aphetic form of assay v.]
= assay v. in various senses.
1. trans. To try, to put to the proof, to test the fitness of; = assay v. 1.
c1380Sir Ferumb. 1093 Charlis clipede ys leches..Þat þai scholde til him go is wounde to enserche & saye. 1382Wyclif Eccl. vii. 24 Alle thingis I saȝede [Vulg. tentavi] in wisdam. a1440Found. St. Bart's (E.E.T.S.) 51 He lost the light of boith yen; therfor he graspid abowte..sayynge his way with his stayff. c1450Knt. de la Tour (1868) 26 And thei ordeined amonges hem how thei shulde saie her wyfes. a1578Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 243 The blak knicht sayit thame all bot thair was nane that mycht war him. 1633T. James Voy. 7 We sayed the pumps, and found her stanch. 1725Ramsay Gentle Sheph. ii. iv, I at ewe-milking first sey'd my young skill. a1801Gall Poems (1819) 12 Time in vain shall sey his rage To blot it frae the gilded page. 1813Hogg Queen's Wake ii. Earl Walter xlvi, Rise up, Lord Darcie, sey thy brand, And fling thy mail away.
2. trans., also intr. with of. To try by tasting; = assay v. 5.
c1450Bk. Curtasye 764 in Babees Bk., When þe sewer comys vnto þe borde, Alle þe mete he sayes at on bare worde. c1560A. Scott Poems (S.T.S.) v. 34 Grene leikis and all sic, men may say. 1674Ray S. & E.C. Words 75 Say of it: i.e. tast of it, Suff.
3. trans. To try (on) (clothes); = assay v. 7.
1599B. Jonson Cynthia's Rev. iv. i, Phi. Me thinkes, he lookes like a taylour alreadie. Pha. I, that had sayed on one of his customers sutes. 1625― Staple of N. i. ii. Stage direct., He sayes his sute. 1630― New Inn iv. iii, She did but say the suit on.
4. To attempt, to try to do (anything difficult); = assay v. 16.
a1550Freiris Berwik 368 in Dunbar's Poems 297 On his feit he startis vp full sture, And come agane, and seyit all his cure. a1585Montgomerie Cherrie & Slae 361, I was affrayd to mount sa hich, For feir to get ane fall: Affrayit to say it, I luikit vp on loft. 16..Childe Waters xxx. in Child Ballads II. 87/1 For there is noe place about this house Where I may say a sleepe.
5. intr. or with inf.
a. To apply oneself, to set oneself (to do something). = assay v. 17.
c1330R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 1826 Wyþ trip forsetten, ilk oþer to gyle, In lyft in wryþyng þey sayed vmwhile. 1412–20Lydg. Chron. Troy 708/4906 (E.E.T.S.) Wherfore, þe kyng cast & wolde saie Shape a wei her malis to with-stonde. c1475Partenay 354 Sin Aforn vs thre ye apperen, lo! And without worde say for to make passage, It is noght the dede of gentil corage. a1585Montgomerie Sonn. vii. 6 Of mercy and of judgment sey to sing. 1601B. Jonson Poetaster, Apol. Dial. Wks. 1616 I. 353 Once, I'le say, To strike the eare of time, in those fresh straines, As shall [etc.]. 1632Heywood 2nd Pt. Iron Age v. K 3 This Diomed? who..sayd to wound faire Venus in the hand. 1692Scarronides ii. 30 With trembling hands he 'says to pull at, And tear the throatling noose from gullet. 1790A. Wilson Poems & Lit. Prose (1876) II. 95, I sey'd ance to cast off my coat.
▪ VII. say
obs. f. saw n.1; obs. pa. tense and pple. of see v.; obs. Sc. f. so adv. and conj., sow v. |