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.
Many are the sayings of the wise, In ancient and in
modern books enrolled. --Milton.
Syn: Declaration; speech; adage; maxim; aphorism; apothegm;
saw; proverb; byword.