say

Etymology 1

From Middle English seyen, seien, seggen, from Old English seċġan (“to say, speak”), from Proto-West Germanic *saggjan, from Proto-Germanic *sagjaną (“to say”), from Proto-Indo-European *sokʷ-h₁-yé-, a suffixed o-grade form of *sekʷ- (“to tell, talk”). Cognate with West Frisian sizze (“to say”), Dutch zeggen (“to say”), German sagen (“to say”), Danish sige (“to say”), Norwegian Bokmål si (“to say”), Norwegian Nynorsk seia (“to say”), Swedish säga (“to say”), Yiddish זאָגן (zogn, “to say; to tell”). The adverb and interjection are from the verb.

verb

1. (transitive) To pronounce.
   Please say your name slowly and clearly.
2. (transitive) To recite.
   Martha, will you say the Pledge of Allegiance?
3. (transitive) To tell, either verbally or in writing.
   He said he would be here tomorrow.
   She was like a Beardsley Salome, he had said. And indeed she had the narrow eyes and the high cheekbone of that creature, and as nearly the sinuosity as is compatible with human symmetry. His wooing had been brief but incisive. 1922, Ben Travers, chapter 1, in A Cuckoo in the Nest
   I want to say I’m sorry for yesterday. — It’s okay, Anna. Audio (US) (file) 2016, VOA Learning English (public domain)
4. (transitive) To indicate in a written form.
   The sign says it’s 50 kilometres to Paris.
5. (impersonal, transitive) To have a common expression; used in singular passive voice or plural active voice to indicate a rumor or well-known fact.
   They say "when in Rome, do as the Romans do", which means "behave as those around you do."
   They say that Hope is happiness; But genuine Love must prize the past. 1815, George Gordon Byron, “They say that Hope is happiness”, in The Hebrew Melodies
   It is said, a bargain cannot be set aside upon inadequacy only. 1819, Great Britain Court of Chancery, Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the High Court of Chancery, page 8
   It’s said that fifteen wagon loads of ready-made clothes for the Virginia troops came to, and stay in, town to-night. 1841, Christopher Marshall, The Knickerbocker (New-York Monthly Magazine), page 379
6. (informal, imperative, transitive) Suppose, assume; used to mark an example, supposition or hypothesis.
   A holiday somewhere warm – Florida, say – would be nice.
   Say he refuses. What do we do then?
   Say your family is starving and you don't have any money, is it okay to steal some food?
   I've followed Selina down the strip, when we're shopping, say, and she strolls on ahead, wearing sawn-off jeans and a wash-withered T-shirt[…] 1984, Martin Amis, Money: a suicide note
7. (intransitive) To speak; to express an opinion; to make answer; to reply.
8. (transitive, informal, of a possession, especially money) To bet as a wager on an outcome; by extension, used to express belief in an outcome by the speaker.
   'My fifty pounds says three months after the invasion there'll be a free press in Iraq, and unmonitored internet access too.' 2005, Ian McEwan, Saturday, page 192

noun

1. A chance to speak; the right or power to influence or make a decision.
   Above all, however, we would like to think that there is more to be decided, after the engines and after the humans have had their says. 2004, Richard Rogers, Information politics on the Web
   He has consolidated the military's role in politics through an army-drafted 2017 constitution widely seen as designed to prevent Pheu Thai from returning to power and ensuring a continuing say for the army. 2019-02-08, Olarn, Kocha, Regan, Helen, “This princess could be the next prime minister of Thailand”, in CNN International Edition, Cable News Network, retrieved 2019-02-08
   Sunday’s general election has been cast as a high-stakes contest between democracy and military rule, but critics say a new army-backed constitution gives junta-appointed officials a large say in the next government. 2019-03-22, Tanakasempipat, Patpicha, Thepgumpanat, Panarat, “Junta chief croons, ousted PM says 'we will win' in Thai election battle”, in Reuters, Reuters, retrieved 2019-03-23

adv

1. For example; let us assume.
   Pick a color you think they'd like, say, peach.
   He was driving pretty fast, say, fifty miles per hour.
   He was a very old man, and was heavy, say about 250 pounds. 1894, T Miller, “Chapter 1”, in Over Five Seas and Oceans, From New York to Bangkok, Siam, and Return, New York: Albert Metz & Co., page 13

intj

1. (colloquial) Used to gain someone's attention before making an inquiry or suggestion
   Say, what did you think about the movie?

Etymology 2

From Middle French saie, from Latin saga, plural of sagum (“military cloak”).

noun

1. say (countable and uncountable, plural says)#

Etymology 3

Aphetic form of assay.

verb

1. To try; to assay.

noun

1. Trial by sample; assay; specimen.
   If those principal works of God […] be but certain tastes and says, as if were, of that final benefit. , page 193
2. Tried quality; temper; proof.
3. Essay; trial; attempt.

Etymology 4

noun

1. (Scotland) A strainer for milk.