say (says 3rd person present ) (saying present participle) (said past tense & past participle )
1 verb When you say something, you speak words.
`I'm sorry,' he said... V with quote
She said they were very impressed... V that
Forty-one people are said to have been seriously hurt... be V-ed to-inf
I packed and said goodbye to Charlie... V n to n
I hope you didn't say anything about Gretchen... V n
Did he say where he was going?... V wh
It doesn't sound exactly orthodox, if I may say so. V so
2 verb You use say in expressions such as I would just like to say to introduce what you are actually saying, or to indicate that you are expressing an opinion or admitting a fact. If you state that you can't say something or you wouldn't say something, you are indicating in a polite or indirect way that it is not the case.
I would just like to say that this is the most hypocritical thing I have ever heard in my life... V that
I must say that rather shocked me, too... V that
Dead? Well, I can't say I'm sorry. V that
3 verb You can mention the contents of a piece of writing by mentioning what it says or what someone says in it.
The report says there is widespread and routine torture of political prisoners in the country... V that
You can't have one without the other, as the song says... V with quote
`Highly inflammable,' it says on the spare canister... it V with quote
Jung believed that God speaks to us in dreams. The Bible says so too. V so
4 verb If you say something to yourself, you think it.
Perhaps I'm still dreaming, I said to myself... V to pron-refl with quote
5 n-sing If you have asayin something, you have the right to give your opinion and influence decisions relating to it.
usu a N, also more/some N
The students wanted more say in the government of the university.
6 verb You indicate the information given by something such as a clock, dial, or map by mentioning what it says.
The clock said four minutes past eleven... V n
The map says there's six of them. V that
7 verb If something says something about a person, situation, or thing, it gives important information about them.
I think that says a lot about how well Seles is playing... V amount about n
The appearance of the place and the building says something about the importance of the project. V pron about n
8 verb If something says a lot for a person or thing, it shows that this person or thing is very good or has a lot of good qualities.
It says a lot for him that he has raised his game to the level required... V amount for n
It says much for Brookner's skill that the book is sad, but never depressing. it V amount for n that
9 verb You use say in expressions such as I'll say that for them and you can say this for them after or before you mention a good quality that someone has, usually when you think they do not have many good qualities.
He's usually smartly-dressed, I'll say that for him... V pron for n
At the very least, he is devastatingly sure of himself, you can say that. V pron
10 verb You can use say when you want to discuss something that might possibly happen or be true.
only imper
(=suppose)
Say you could change anything about the world we live in, what would it be? V that
11 You can use say or let's say when you mention something as an example.
To see the problem here more clearly, let's look at a different biological system, say, an acorn...
12 If you say that something says it all, you mean that it shows you very clearly the truth about a situation or someone's feelings.
say it all phrase V inflects
This is my third visit in a week, which says it all.
13 You can use `You don't say' to express surprise at what someone has told you. People often use this expression to indicate that in fact they are not surprised.
you don't say convention
(feelings)
`I'm a writer.'—`You don't say. What kind of book are you writing?'
14 If you say there is a lot to be said for something, you mean you think it has a lot of good qualities or aspects.
to be said for sth phrase amount PHR
There's a lot to be said for being based in the country.
15 If someone asks what you have to say foryourself, they are asking what excuse you have for what you have done.
what does someone have to say for themselves phrase
`Well,' she said eventually, `what have you to say for yourself?'
16 If something goes without saying, it is obvious.
goes without saying phrase oft it PHR that
It goes without saying that if someone has lung problems they should not smoke.
17 When one of the people or groups involved in a discussion has their say, they give their opinion.
have one's say phrase V inflects
The Football Association have had their say.
18 You use `I wouldn't say no' to indicate that you would like something, especially something that has just been offered to you.
INFORMAL
I wouldn't say no convention
(formulae)
I wouldn't say no to a drink.
19 You use to say nothing of when you mention an additional thing which gives even more strength to the point you are making.
to say nothing of sth phrase PHR n
Unemployment leads to a sense of uselessness, to say nothing of financial problems.
20 You use that is to say or that's to say to indicate that you are about to express the same idea more clearly or precisely.
FORMAL
that is to say phrase PHR with cl/group
...territories that were occupied in 1967, that is to say, in the West Bank and Gaza.
21 You can use `You can say that again' to express strong agreement with what someone has just said.
INFORMAL
you can say that again convention
(emphasis)
`Must have been a fiddly job.'—`You can say that again.'
22 →
to say the least →
least →
needless to say →
needless
say-so
If you do something on someone's say-so, they tell you to do it or they give you permission to do it.
INFORMAL n-sing oft with poss
Directors call the shots and nothing happens on set without their say-so.
