sayverb
uk/seɪ/us/seɪ/said, saidsay verb (SPEAK)
A1 [ T ] to pronounce words or sounds, to express a thought, opinion, or suggestion, or to state a fact or instruction:
Small children find it difficult to say long words.
She said goodbye to all her friends and left.
Ben never forgets to say "Please" and "Thank you".
How do you say "goodbye" in French?
I'm sorry, what did you say?
Do you know what she said to him?
What did they say about the house?
[ + speech ] "I'm going out this evening," she said.
He said to himself (= thought), "This will never work."
[ + (that) ] The doctors say (that) it will take him a few weeks to recover.
[ + question word ] She didn't say whether she was coming.
Did she say (= tell you) why she wasn't coming?
[ + to infinitive ] informal He said (= told me) to meet him here.
I've got something to say to you.
The offer was so good that I couldn't say no (= couldn't refuse).
More examples
- He said he was coming.
- I said she should give him a call.
- Did she say why she left so early?
- He said that he'd already tried it.
- What did she say about the cost?
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Saying & uttering
- (your) every word idiom
- add
- come
- come out with sth
- every
- find your voice idiom
- floor
- get sth in
- in words of one syllable idiom
- in your own words idiom
- misspeak
- mouth
- phrase
- speak
- string
- text
- think
- use
- utterance
- volunteer
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say verb (THINK)
B1 [ I or T ] to think or believe:
[ + (that) ] People/They say (that) he's over 100.
"It's going to be a very hot summer." "So they say (= that is what people believe)."
She is a firm leader, too firm, some might say (= some people believe that she is too firm).
B1 [ I or T ] to give (as) an opinion or suggestion about something:
"Who do you think will get the job?" "I'd rather not say."
What are you saying, exactly? (= What do you mean?)
[ + (that) ] We've been driving all day - I say (that) we start looking for a motel now.
informal What do you say we sell the car? (= What do you think about selling it?)
[ T ] to show what you think without using words:
[ + (that) ] The look on his face said (= showed) (that) he knew what had happened.
B2 [ T always passive ] When something or someone is said to be a particular thing, that is what people think or believe about it, him, or her:
[ + (that) ] It is said (that) Latin is a difficult language to learn.
[ + to be + noun/adj ] He's said to be over 100.
More examples
- I don't know him personally but they say he's very nice.
- They're saying house prices are going to fall.
- Soya is meant to be very good for you, or so they say.
- It is said that babies look like their fathers at birth.
- They say you should eat at least five portions of fruit or vegetables a day.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Saying & uttering
- (your) every word idiom
- add
- come
- come out with sth
- every
- find your voice idiom
- floor
- get sth in
- in words of one syllable idiom
- in your own words idiom
- misspeak
- mouth
- phrase
- speak
- string
- text
- think
- use
- utterance
- volunteer
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Expressing and asking opinions
say verb (GIVE INFORMATION)
B1 [ T ] to give information in writing, numbers, or signs:
My watch says three o'clock.
Can you read what that sign says?
[ + (that) ] It says in the paper (that) they've found the man who did it.
[ + to infinitive ] It says on the bottle to take three tabletsa day.
More examples
- The recipe says to use six eggs.
- It said in the paper that over a thousand people had attended.
- It should say on the label how often to take the medicine.
- What did that sign say?
- Let's see what the instructions say.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Announcing, informing & stating
- acquaint sb/yourself with sth
- advise
- advisement
- annunciation
- come out
- commit
- confront
- declare
- fyi
- give sb a heads up idiom
- head
- let sb know idiom
- official
- pronouncement
- put
- put sth out 1
- spread the word idiom
- tell
- unannounced
- word
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Idiom(s)
before you can say Jack Robinson
does what it says on the tin
have a lot to say for yourself
have nothing to say for yourself
having said that
I must say
I'm not saying..., but...
I wouldn't say no
I'll say!
it goes without saying
it says a lot for sb/sth
(do you) know/see what I'm saying?
not say boo
not to say
(let's) say
say your piece
say goodbye to sth
say no more
say the word
say this/that much for sb/sth
say uncle
say when
says who?
says something about sb/sth
that is to say ...
That's not saying much.
there's little to be said for sth
there's something to be said for
to say nothing of ...
to say the least
what sb says, goes
what do you have to say for yourself?
when all is said and done
who can say?
you can say that again!
you can't say fairer than that
you don't say!
you said it!
sayexclamation
uk/seɪ/us/seɪ/old-fashionedused to express surprise or pleasure, or to attract attention to what you are about to say:
US Say, that's really good of you!
US Say, how about going out tonight?
UK I say, what a splendid hat you're wearing!
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Linguistics: interjections
- (well) what do you know! idiom
- aiyo
- alas
- aw shucks
- awesomesauce
- bam
- bless
- boo
- charming
- good show idiom
- goodness
- heck
- hot dog! idiom
- talk
- use your loaf idiom
- voilà
- wake up! idiom
- watch out
- what an idea! idiom
- yes
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saynoun [ S or U ]
uk/seɪ/us/seɪ/(the right to give) an opinion about something:
Keep quiet for a minute and let me have my say.
The judge usually has the final say.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Expressing and asking opinions
- apothegm
- come out
- couch
- day
- editorialize
- express
- far
- for my money idiom
- pronounce
- propound
- put
- put yourself across
- remark
- run
- run sth by sb
- screed
- soapbox
- sound off
- talk
- talk sth over
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Idiom(s)
have a, some, etc. say in sth