SAYNE

SAY

Say, obs. imp. of See.

Definition: Saw. Chaucer.

Say, n. Etym: [Aphetic form of assay.]

1. Trial by sample; assay; sample; specimen; smack. [Obs.] if those principal works of God . . . be but certain tastes and saus, as if were, of that final benefit. Hooker. Thy tongue some say of breeding breathes. Shak.

2. Tried quality; temper; proof. [Obs.] he found a sword of better say. Spenser.

3. Essay; trial; attempt. [Obs.] To give a say at, to attempt. B. Jonson.

Say, v. t.

Definition: To try; to assay. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

Say, n. Etym: [OE. saie, F. saie, fr. L. saga, equiv. to sagum, sagus, a coarse woolen mantle; cf. Gr. Sagum.]

1. A kind of silk or satin. [Obs.] Thou say, thou serge, nay, thou buckram lord! Shak.

2. A delicate kind of serge, or woolen cloth. [Obs.] His garment neither was of silk nor say. Spenser.

Say, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Said, contracted from sayed; p. pr. & vb. n. Saying.] Etym: [OE. seggen, seyen, siggen, sayen, sayn, AS. secgan; akin to OS. seggian, D. zeggen, LG. seggen, OHG. sag, G. sagen, Icel. segja, Sw. säga, Dan. sige, Lith. sakyti; cf. OL. insece teil, relate, Gr. Saga, Saw a saying.]

1. To utter or express in words; to tell; to speak; to declare; as, he said many wise things. Arise, and say how thou camest here. Shak.

2. To repeat; to rehearse; to recite; to pronounce; as, to say a lesson. Of my instruction hast thou nothing bated In what thou hadst to say Shak. After which shall be said or sung the following hymn. Bk. of Com. Prayer.

3. To announce as a decision or opinion; to state positively; to assert; hence, to form an opinion upon; to be sure about; to be determined in mind as to. But what it is, hard is to say. Milton.

4. To mention or suggest as an estimate, hypothesis, or approximation; hence, to suppose; -- in the imperative, followed sometimes by the subjunctive; as, he had, say fifty thousand dollars; the fox had run, say ten miles. Say, for nonpayment that the debt should double, Is twenty hundred kisses such a trouble Shak. It is said, or They say, it is commonly reported; it is rumored; people assert or maintain.

– That is to say, that is; in other words; otherwise.

Say, v. i.

Definition: To speak; to express an opinion; to make answer; to reply. You have said; but whether wisely or no, let the forest judge. Shak. To this argument we shall soon have said; for what concerns it us to hear a husband divulge his household privacies Milton.

Say, n. Etym: [From Say, v. t.; cf. Saw a saying.]

Definition: A speech; something said; an expression of opinion; a current story; a maxim or proverb. [Archaic or Colloq.] He no sooner said out his say, but up rises a cunning snap. L'Estrange. That strange palmer's boding say, That fell so ominous and drear Full on the object of his fear. Sir W. Scott.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition