If those principal works of God . . . be but certain
tastes and says, as it 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.