English dictionary



Hint: Click 'Bookmark' to add this page to your favorites.

English noun: say

1. say (state) the chance to speak


SamplesLet him have his say.


Broader (hypernym)chance, opportunity


English verb: say

1. say (communication) express in words


SamplesHe said that he wanted to marry her.
Tell me what is bothering you.
State your opinion.
State your name.


Synonymsstate, tell


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something.
Something ----s something.
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE


Broader (hypernym)express, give tongue to, utter, verbalise, verbalize


Narrower (hyponym)add, announce, answer, append, articulate, declare, declare, declare, enunciate, explain, get out, give, introduce, lay out, mention, misstate, note, observe, precede, preface, premise, present, remark, reply, represent, respond, sum, sum up, summarise, summarize, supply, vocalise, vocalize


Verb groupsay

2. say (communication) report or maintain


SamplesHe alleged that he was the victim of a crime.
He said it was too late to intervene in the war.
The registrar says that I owe the school money.


ExamplesThey say that there was a traffic accident


Synonymsallege, aver


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something.
Something ----s something.
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE


Broader (hypernym)assert, asseverate, maintain


Narrower (hyponym)plead

3. say (communication) express a supposition


SamplesLet us say that he did not tell the truth.
Let's say you had a lot of money--what would you do?.


Synonymssuppose


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something.
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE


Broader (hypernym)speculate

4. say (stative) have or contain a certain wording or form


SamplesThe passage reads as follows.
What does the law say?.


Synonymsread


Pattern of useSomething ----s Adjective/Noun.
Something ----s something


Broader (hypernym)feature, have


Verb groupread

5. say (communication) give instructions to or direct somebody to do something with authority


SamplesI said to him to go home.
She ordered him to do the shopping.
The mother told the child to get dressed.


Synonymsenjoin, order, tell


Pattern of useSomebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE.
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE


Broader (hypernym)request


Narrower (hyponym)call, command, direct, instruct, require, send for, warn

6. say (communication) speak, pronounce, or utter in a certain way


SamplesShe pronounces French words in a funny way.
I cannot say `zip wire'.
Can the child sound out this complicated word?.


Synonymsarticulate, enounce, enunciate, pronounce, sound out


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something


Narrower (hyponym)accent, accentuate, aspirate, click, devoice, drawl, explode, flap, labialise, labialize, lilt, lisp, mispronounce, misspeak, nasalise, nasalise, nasalize, nasalize, palatalise, palatalize, raise, retroflex, roll, round, sibilate, sound, stress, subvocalise, subvocalize, syllabise, syllabize, trill, twang, vocalise, vocalise, vocalize, vocalize, voice, vowelise, vowelize


Entailmouth, speak, talk, utter, verbalise, verbalize

7. say (communication) communicate or express nonverbally


SamplesWhat does this painting say?.
Did his face say anything about how he felt?.


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something.
Something ----s something


Broader (hypernym)convey


Verb groupsay

8. say (communication) utter aloud


SamplesShe said `Hello' to everyone in the office.


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something


Broader (hypernym)express, give tongue to, utter, verbalise, verbalize

9. say (communication) state as one's opinion or judgement; declare


SamplesI say let's forget this whole business.


Pattern of useSomebody ----s that CLAUSE


Verb groupsay, state, tell

10. say (communication) recite or repeat a fixed text


SamplesSay grace.
She said her `Hail Mary'.


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something


Broader (hypernym)recite

11. say (communication) indicate


SamplesThe clock says noon.


Pattern of useSomething ----s something


Broader (hypernym)read, record, register, show


Verb groupsay









Based on WordNet 3.0 copyright © Princeton University.
Web design: Orcapia v/Per Bang. English edition: .
2024 onlineordbog.dk