n. [ From Say, v. t.; cf. Saw a saying. ] A speech; something said; an expression of opinion; a current story; a maxim or proverb. [ Archaic or Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

He no sooner said out his say, but up rises a cunning snap. L'Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

That strange palmer's boding say,
That fell so ominous and drear
Full on the object of his fear. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

obs. imp. of See. Saw. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Aphetic form of assay. ] 1. Trial by sample; assay; sample; specimen; smack. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

If those principal works of God . . . be but certain tastes and says, as it were, of that final benefit. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thy tongue some say of breeding breathes. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Tried quality; temper; proof. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

He found a sword of better say. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Essay; trial; attempt. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

To give a say at, to attempt. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. saie, F. saie, fr. L. saga, equiv. to sagum, sagus, a coarse woolen mantle; cf. Gr. sa`gos. See Sagum. ] 1. A kind of silk or satin. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Thou say, thou serge, nay, thou buckram lord! Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A delicate kind of serge, or woolen cloth. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

His garment neither was of silk nor say. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Said contracted from sayed; p. pr. & vb. n. Saying. ] [ OE. seggen, seyen, siggen, sayen, sayn, AS. secgan; akin to OS. seggian, D. zeggen, LG. seggen, OHG. sagēn, G. sagen, Icel. segja, Sw. säga, Dan. sige, Lith. sakyti; cf. OL. insece tell, relate, Gr. 'e`nnepe (for 'en-sepe), 'e`spete. Cf. Saga, Saw a saying. ] 1. To utter or express in words; to tell; to speak; to declare; as, he said many wise things. [ 1913 Webster ]

Arise, and say how thou camest here. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To repeat; to rehearse; to recite; to pronounce; as, to say a lesson. [ 1913 Webster ]

Of my instruction hast thou nothing bated
In what thou hadst to say? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

After which shall be said or sung the following hymn. Bk. of Com. Prayer. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

But what it is, hard is to say. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Say, for nonpayment that the debt should double,
Is twenty hundred kisses such a trouble? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To speak; to express an opinion; to make answer; to reply. [ 1913 Webster ]

You have said; but whether wisely or no, let the forest judge. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

To this argument we shall soon have said; for what concerns it us to hear a husband divulge his household privacies? Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To try; to assay. [ Obs. ] B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who says; an utterer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Mr. Curran was something much better than a sayer of smart sayings. Jeffrey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. Cf. Say a kind of serge. ] A mixed stuff, called also sagathy. See Sagathy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. That which is said; a declaration; a statement, especially a proverbial one; an aphorism; a proverb. [ 1913 Webster ]

Many are the sayings of the wise,
In ancient and in modern books enrolled. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Declaration; speech; adage; maxim; aphorism; apothegm; saw; proverb; byword. [ 1913 Webster ]