Dictionary entry details
• SAY (noun)
Meaning:
The chance to speak
Classified under:
Nouns denoting stable states of affairs
Context example:
let him have his say
Hypernyms ("say" is a kind of...):
chance; opportunity (a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances)
• SAY (verb)
Meaning:
Express in words
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Synonyms:
tell; state; say
Context examples:
He said that he wanted to marry her / tell me what is bothering you / state your opinion / state your name
Hypernyms (to "say" is one way to...):
express; give tongue to; utter; verbalise; verbalize (articulate; either verbally or with a cry, shout, or noise)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "say"):
declare (make a declaration (of dutiable goods) to a customs official)
mention; note; observe; remark (make mention of)
add; append; supply (state or say further)
explain (define)
give (convey or reveal information)
sum; sum up; summarise; summarize (be a summary of)
declare (state emphatically and authoritatively)
get out (express with difficulty)
articulate; enunciate; vocalise; vocalize (express or state clearly)
announce; declare (announce publicly or officially)
introduce; precede; preface; premise (furnish with a preface or introduction)
answer; reply; respond (reply or respond to)
misstate (state something incorrectly)
lay out; present; represent (bring forward and present to the mind)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
Meaning:
Report or maintain
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Synonyms:
allege; aver; say
Context examples:
He 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
Hypernyms (to "say" is one way to...):
assert; asseverate; maintain (state categorically)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "say"):
plead (make an allegation in an action or other legal proceeding, especially answer the previous pleading of the other party by denying facts therein stated or by alleging new facts)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
Sentence example:
They say that there was a traffic accident
Meaning:
Express a supposition
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Synonyms:
suppose; say
Context examples:
Let us say that he did not tell the truth / Let's say you had a lot of money--what would you do?
Hypernyms (to "say" is one way to...):
speculate (talk over conjecturally, or review in an idle or casual way and with an element of doubt or without sufficient reason to reach a conclusion)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
Meaning:
Have or contain a certain wording or form
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Synonyms:
read; say
Context examples:
The passage reads as follows / What does the law say?
Hypernyms (to "say" is one way to...):
feature; have (have as a feature)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s Adjective/Noun
Something ----s something
Meaning:
State as one's opinion or judgement; declare
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Context example:
I say let's forget this whole business
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
Meaning:
Utter aloud
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Context example:
She said 'Hello' to everyone in the office
Hypernyms (to "say" is one way to...):
express; give tongue to; utter; verbalise; verbalize (articulate; either verbally or with a cry, shout, or noise)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Meaning:
Give instructions to or direct somebody to do something with authority
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Synonyms:
order; enjoin; tell; say
Context examples:
I said to him to go home / She ordered him to do the shopping / The mother told the child to get dressed
Hypernyms (to "say" is one way to...):
request (ask (a person) to do something)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "say"):
direct (command with authority)
instruct (give instructions or directions for some task)
command; compel; require (make someone do something)
call; send for (order, request, or command to come)
warn (ask to go away)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
Meaning:
Speak, pronounce, or utter in a certain way
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Synonyms:
sound out; pronounce; enunciate; enounce; articulate; say
Context examples:
She pronounces French words in a funny way / I cannot say 'zip wire' / Can the child sound out this complicated word?
"Say" entails doing...:
mouth; speak; talk; utter; verbalise; verbalize (express in speech)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "say"):
vocalise; vocalize; vowelise; vowelize (pronounce as a vowel)
accent; accentuate; stress (put stress on; utter with an accent)
lisp (speak with a lisp)
labialise; labialize; round (pronounce with rounded lips)
click (produce a click)
trill (pronounce with a trill, of the phoneme 'r')
sibilate (pronounce with an initial sibilant)
flap (pronounce with a flap, of alveolar sounds)
explode (cause to burst as a result of air pressure; of stop consonants like /p/, /t/, and /k/)
roll (pronounce with a roll, of the phoneme /r/)
drawl (lengthen and slow down or draw out)
syllabise; syllabize (utter with distinct articulation of each syllable)
subvocalise; subvocalize (articulate without making audible sounds)
twang (pronounce with a nasal twang)
devoice (utter with tense vocal chords)
raise (pronounce (vowels) by bringing the tongue closer to the roof of the mouth)
lilt (articulate in a very careful and rhythmic way)
palatalise; palatalize (pronounce a consonant with the tongue against the palate)
nasalise; nasalize (speak nasally or through the nose)
mispronounce; misspeka (pronounce a word incorrectly)
aspirate (pronounce with aspiration; of stop sounds)
sound; vocalise; vocalize; voice (utter with vibrating vocal chords)
retroflex (articulate (a consonant) with the tongue curled back against the palate)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Meaning:
Recite or repeat a fixed text
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Context examples:
Say grace / She said her 'Hail Mary'
Hypernyms (to "say" is one way to...):
recite (repeat aloud from memory)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Meaning:
Communicate or express nonverbally
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Context examples:
What does this painting say? / Did his face say anything about how he felt?
Hypernyms (to "say" is one way to...):
convey; impart (make known; pass on, of information)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Indicate
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Context example:
The clock says noon
Hypernyms (to "say" is one way to...):
read; record; register; show (indicate a certain reading; of gauges and instruments)
Sentence frame:
Something ----s something
