I.verbCOLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
a lot to do/learn/say etc
▪ I still have a lot to learn.
▪ It’s a great city, with lots to see and do.
a report says/states (that)
▪ The report said that it would cost another £250 million to repair the damage.
a watch says ...
▪ My watch says twenty past one.
ask/say your age (=ask or say how old you are)
▪ It’s rude to ask a woman her age.
as...rightly said
▪ I was, as you rightly said, the smallest boy in the class.
be right in saying/thinking etc
▪ I think I’m right in saying they once employed 2000 people.
bound to say (=I feel I ought to say)
▪ Well, I’m bound to say, I think you’re taking a huge risk.
come out and say
▪ At least he’s got the courage to come out and say what he thinks.
experts say sth
▪ Experts are saying that the economy is likely to improve towards the end of this year.
extraordinary thing to do/say/happen
▪ What an extraordinary thing to do!
final decision/say/approval etc
▪ We can advise the client, but in the end it is he who has the final say.
▪ Is that your final answer?
forgive me for asking/saying etc sth (also forgive my asking/saying etc)
▪ Forgive me for saying so, but that’s nonsense.
▪ Forgive my phoning you so late.
have/find a good word (to say)
▪ No one had a good word to say for her.
heard it said
▪ I’ve heard it said that they met in Italy.
hope so/think so/say so etc
▪ ‘Will I need my umbrella?’ ‘I don’t think so.’
▪ If you want to go home, just say so.
I can truly say
▪ I can truly say I’ve never enjoyed myself so much.
I hear what you say/what you’re sayingspoken (= used to tell someone that you have listened to their opinion, but do not agree with it)
▪ I hear what you say, but I don’t think we should rush this decision.
I hear what you say/what you’re sayingspoken (= used to tell someone that you have listened to their opinion, but do not agree with it)
▪ I hear what you say, but I don’t think we should rush this decision.
it's no exaggeration to say that ... (=used to emphasize that something is really true)
▪ It's no exaggeration to say that residents live in fear of the local gangs.
it’s fair to say (that) (=used when you think what you are saying is correct or reasonable)
▪ It’s fair to say that by then he had lost the support of his staff.
it’s safe to say/assume (that)
▪ I think it’s safe to say that the future is looking pretty good.
It’s untrue to say
▪ It’s untrue to say that the situation has not changed.
meant what...said
▪ I meant what I said earlier.
omit to mention/say/tell etc
▪ Oliver omitted to mention that he was married.
overhear sb say (that)
▪ We overheard the teacher say there would be a pop quiz today.
quoted as saying
▪ A military spokesman was quoted as saying that the border area is now safe.
read/say sth aloud
▪ Joanne, would you read the poem aloud?
said grace
▪ My father said grace.
said no
▪ He wanted to take me to a disco but I said no.
said yes
▪ He proposed to me and I said yes.
say a prayer
▪ Say a prayer for me.
say goodbye
▪ I just have to say goodbye to Jane.
say hello
▪ Stanley, come and say hello to your nephew.
say nothing
▪ I promised to say nothing about it to anyone.
say (you are) sorry (=tell someone that you feel bad about hurting them, causing problems etc)
▪ It was probably too late to say sorry, but she would try anyway.
say your goodbyes (=say goodbye to several people or everyone)
▪ We said our goodbyes and left.
say/add/ask etc pointedly
▪ ‘I thought you were leaving,’ she said pointedly.
say/celebrate Mass (=perform this ceremony as a priest)
say/recite the rosary
▪ Three nuns knelt there, reciting the rosary.
say/speak a word
▪ She said the words ‘my husband’ in a firm voice.
say/speak/reply etc coldly
▪ ‘Well, what can I do for you?’ he asked coldly.
say/whisper sth into sb's ear
▪ He whispered something into his wife's ear.
So they say
▪ ‘Has he lost a fortune?’ ‘So they say.’
strange to sayBritish English (= strangely)
▪ Strange to say, I was just thinking that myself.
that’s not saying much (=none of his books is very good)
▪ It’s the best book he’s written, but that’s not saying much.
the clock says eight/nine etc (=shows a particular time)
▪ The clock said five so I went back to sleep.
the headlines read/say (=the headlines say something)
▪ The next morning’s headlines read: ‘Moors Search for Missing Boys’.
the instructions say/tell you to do sth
▪ The instructions say that you should take the tablets after meals.
(the) legend says
▪ Legend says King Arthur’s sword was thrown into one of the pools here.
the rule says ...
▪ The rule says that you must be standing inside the line.
what to do/say/expect etc
▪ They’re discussing what to do next.
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ NOUN
official
▪ After the ship's arrival, the officials said the truth would probably not be known until the government finished an investigation.
▪ Despite complaints about his suitability, officials said they were powerless to stop him because police had no evidence to ban him.
▪ Volleyball officials say that the team is picked purely on merit.
▪ Industry officials said the development could result in the creation of 300, 000 jobs, mostly in the construction sector.
▪ Baker was unavailable for comment, and a club official said Sabean would not comment beyond a short written statement.
▪ The case against Thanong represents one of the largest marijuana prosecutions ever brought by federal authorities, officials said.
spokesman
▪ A spokesman said the freight train driver spotted the danger but could not prevent the collision.
▪ At least 996 delegates are needed to ensure a nomination on the first ballot, a party spokesman said.
▪ A Hollywoood spokesman for Kidman said she could not be contacted.
▪ About 1, 000 people were hired in November, a company spokesman said.
▪ An army spokesman said that the security vetting of personnel was a normal procedure in all defence forces.
▪ A NationsBank spokesman declined to say what title that person might hold.
▪ A spokesman said the 56-year-old singer pianist had flu.
▪ Lawrence Livermore Lab was also affected, but apparently not as severely as others, a spokesman there said.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
(say) cheese!
I can't rightly say/don't rightly know
I might say/add
▪ And battling it gracefully, I might add, wielding his mighty pen like a sword.
▪ Hair: grey and losing it, I might add.
▪ In passing, I might say how extraordinarily lucky I am to have them here with me.
▪ Likewise. I might add a little oregano, garlic, onions, salt, and butter once in a while.
▪ None of which has been answered yet, I might add.
▪ Very expensive method too I might add.
▪ Yes, they have decided to reinstate you, over my violent objections, I might add.
I must admit/say/confess
▪ At this point I must say that I haven't yet found a carp that didn't eat Tropicanas.
▪ But I must say I was deeply disappointed.
▪ But I must say she's not always as fractious as she appears now.
▪ He went very red in the face. I must say he never did it again.
▪ Lovely site for it, I must say.
▪ Some one must have brought it here for a purpose, but I must admit it looks abandoned.
▪ They were very polite, I must confess.....
▪ This procedure is, I must admit, a limited one, and it is vulnerable to criticism.
I would think/imagine/say
▪ And that, I would say, is what we, in our own religious rites, had best be doing too.
▪ Dominic remains, I would say, a preposterously beautiful creature.
▪ Elizabeth: I would say about 185 pounds.
▪ Is there a chance Chrysler might buy Fiat? I would think there's essentially zero chance of that happening.
▪ Perhaps it is more a matter for philosophers than scientists, but I would say not.
▪ Pretty heavily on fire, too, I would think.
▪ That is a prime question, I would say, of this hour in the bringing up of children.
▪ This looks tough, I would think, and then immediately forget about it.
I'll say this/that much for sb/sth
▪ I'll say this much for him, he was consistent until the end.
I'm sorry to say (that)
anything you say
▪ But she won't do anything I say.
▪ If you are a teacher I do not ask you to believe or take on trust anything I say.
▪ It was so cold that anything you said had frozen up before leaving your mouth.
▪ She did not seem surprised by anything I said.
▪ The whole audience became like one and anything somebody say is like you say it.
▪ There's something baldly there about him which inclines me, like Kevin, to distrust anything he says.
▪ They don't expect to understand anything he says.
▪ Why should anything we say have any validity?
be/go on (the) record as saying (that)
before you can say Jack Robinson
easier said than done
enough said
▪ The other trust hospital is at Ayr: enough said.
it's/that's easy for you to say
like I say/said
▪ Like I said, I really appreciate your help.
▪ And like I said, he won't be getting his kicks from smashing up other people's property.
▪ Answer, like I said everybody had materials on that rug.
▪ Anyway, like I said, she wants to make you some food, man.
▪ But like I say now, I want nice furniture to go along with it.
▪ But they're mostly like I say.
▪ Okay, I can picture it happening, like I said I have, one of those things that happen.
might I say/ask/add etc
▪ And what happened to yours, might I ask?
needless to say
▪ Needless to say, we're on a very tight budget.
▪ Basil, needless to say, has found the butter.
▪ But, needless to say, things can get a little crazy in the 24-hour news biz.
▪ Janice, needless to say, was quite unaware of her presence.
▪ Musical value, needless to say, usually ends up being the last thing these folks consider.
▪ The armed robber, needless to say, did not stay around to be sued.
▪ The whole thing, needless to say, is demoralizing.
▪ There was no bathroom, needless to say.
▪ This kind of banter, needless to say, is not acceptable flirting behavior.
never say die
never say never
▪ I don't want to run for office, but I've learned to never say never. Who knows what will happen in 10 years?
no sooner said than done
not have a bad word to say about/against sb
not say a word
▪ Could Sandra please not say a word to anyone, not even the women or the other rescue workers?
▪ He did not say a word, just stared at the sky.
▪ Marty was offering her his handkerchief, not saying a word.
▪ She did not say a word.
▪ She knew that she could not say a word until she had something.
▪ We sit there for a few more minutes not saying a word.
▪ Williams did not say a word until we got back to the company after the mission.
▪ Yoyo does not say a word.
say a mouthful
say a word/say a few words
say hello
▪ As she came level, I got to my feet and said hello.
▪ But could he come over and say hello to the money machine of the lousy network?
▪ I'd come in from school and he wouldn't say hello to me.
▪ I am quite new to this area and only know people to say hello to.
▪ I boarded the Five McAllister, forgetting to say hello to the cheery Muni driver.
▪ I said hello and sat down on a stack of C-ration cases.
▪ I waited for him to come into my room and say hello.
▪ Then he sat down next to the old man and said hello.
say sth/tell sb sth to their face
say uncle
say/think/decide etc otherwise
▪ But he knew that people thought otherwise, and that their false impression was his own fault.
▪ But I wanted to have it on the record, in case any of you think otherwise.
▪ Donald thinks otherwise - and the upshot may be that he will sue.
▪ Many might seek to use the asylum route and, indeed, it would be naive to think otherwise.
▪ People think otherwise, surely, from politicians: more simply, about horror, fear, survival?
▪ The rich supposedly think otherwise -- and manage to pay very little.
▪ To say otherwise would be bitterness and we know better than to surrender.
▪ To think otherwise, it seems, is to reveal oneself as an ignoramus who does not know enough characters.
that is (to say)
▪ One solution would be to change the shape of the TV screen -- that is, to make it wider.
▪ A standard of service that is second to none, with a speed and quality guarantee for all repairs.
▪ But it is not a dream that is likely to come true, though perhaps not for the obvious reason.
▪ Could you describe the current selling collection hanging out there in a gallery that is also your front room?
▪ First, that is not so.
▪ I look to the current discussions, and also to the United States, to give the ground that is needed.
▪ Scientific knowledge is not proven knowledge, but it does represent knowledge that is probably true.
▪ Uncomplicated computer interface that is truly easy to use.
▪ You won't convince me that the answer to that is necessary for your enquiry.
they say/think etc
▪ Black children from middle-class or affluent families, they say, are more apt to adopt what is commonly called black slang.
▪ But the president essentially endorsed Rumsfeld's approach, they said.
▪ Employers' groups welcomed the reforms, though they said more are necessary to encourage employers to take on permanent staff.
▪ Goodness only knows what makes them tick, or why they thought they could get away with it here.
▪ I thanked them for praying for me and seeing me now, hoped they thought their efforts worthwhile.
▪ Light a match, they say, and flames flicker over it like brandy on a Christmas pudding.
▪ She asked them why; they said it was because they had information that the two children had been sexually abused.
▪ These others stand on something they said.
think/say etc as much
▪ Archaeological analyses say as much about the interpreters as about the extinct cultures.
▪ Even the defense attorneys who went up against him said as much.
▪ He felt convinced that Aeneas was the son-in-law Faunus had predicted, and he said as much to the envoys.
▪ He said as much to Katherine on their second evening together.
▪ He said as much when he finally let things loose.
▪ Kennedy said as much in the summer of 1961, when he met Khrushchev in Vienna.
▪ The women stood in silence, glad of each other's presence and without the need to say as much.
▪ They will do and say as much as they dare, to get the client's money.
to say the least
▪ Mrs. Russel was upset, to say the least.
▪ These maps are difficult to understand, to say the least.
▪ As captain and opening bat, he's an important member of the side, to say the least.
▪ Cartoonish, to say the least.
▪ It is a bizarre setting, to say the least, where the boredom and indifference can be measured in metric tons.
▪ The lamps look, to say the least, unreliable.
▪ The outlook for their national teams is, to say the least, uncertain.
▪ The results of these experiments were, to say the least, puzzling to the researchers.
▪ There would be a bit of confusion, to say the least.
▪ Try as she might, her working relationship with Stephanie Marsa was strained to say the least.
well said!
what else can sb do/say?
▪ I told her it looked good. What else could I say?
▪ I do about three hundred sit-ups a day and it still refuses to firm up, but what else can I do?
▪ P.S. Awful - but what else can one do?
▪ So what else can Florida do?
▪ What else can a sinner say?
▪ What else can he realistically do?
▪ What else can I do for you Jim?
▪ What else can I do to improve things?
whatever you say/think/want
▪ And she always did whatever she wanted, which was mostly enjoy herself and ignore her homework.
▪ Dare they call her bluff and just let her get on with whatever she thought she could do to inconvenience them?
▪ Eurydice said her daughter could do whatever she wanted to do.
▪ I eat whatever I want and run three miles a day.
▪ I know that I had no intention of stopping the procedure, whatever anyone said or did to influence me.
▪ In my stupidity-or whatever you want to call it-I tried to move around to his left.
▪ The hon. Gentleman can make whatever he wants of it, but it will still not save his seat.
▪ You think you should get whatever you want right away.
when all's said and done
without (saying) a word
▪ He throws himself without a word on to the blanket beside him.
▪ Jed began to know where Creed wanted to go without a word being uttered.
▪ Now this woman of endless stories, a teacher, lies without words, waiting to die.
▪ She turned without a word and walked back to where her friends lay like casualties.
▪ Sitting down opposite without a word he picked up the glass and emptied the contents down his throat.
▪ Still without a word Pearl brought Ezra to the tiny kitchen.
▪ The place is empty but for the bar and three or four slightly-built lads shooting pool without words.
▪ Then she turned and without a word left him and the house, too.
wouldn't say boo to a goose
you can't say fairer than that
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
▪ "I'm in love," said Dennis.
▪ "I must be going," she said.
▪ "Is Joyce coming over later?" "She didn't say."
▪ "Where's Pam going?" "I don't know. She didn't say."
▪ Say a student came to you with a problem. You'd try to help them, right?
▪ Although we must have done about 100 miles, the petrol gauge still said half-full.
▪ Did Peter say that he would be late?
▪ Did they say how long the operation would take?
▪ How do you say your last name?
▪ I asked Dad if he'd lend me some money, but he said no.
▪ I couldn't think of anything to say.
▪ If there's anything you're not happy about, please say so.
▪ It says here that the police are closing in on the killer.
▪ It says in today's paper that gas prices are going up again.
▪ James wrote to the bank and said we needed a loan.
▪ Julie's clothes and her whole attitude just said "New York".
▪ Lauren came over to say goodbye to us.
▪ Most modern art doesn't say much to me.
▪ One look said it all -- Richard knew that Sally wouldn't marry him.
▪ So what you're saying, Mr President, is that you don't have a policy on this issue.
II.nounCOLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADJECTIVE
final
▪ We should not go so far as to hold a referendum, but the people must have the final say.
▪ You can do all the planning you like, but in the end the Old Course has the final say.
▪ The Good Friday agreement leaves the final say to the people of Northern Ireland in a referendum.
▪ Huckelberry makes a final recommendation to the Board of Supervisors, which has the final say.
▪ The commission says it's adamant that the public will have the final say.
▪ The state Board of Education -- Florida's governor and Cabinet -- has the final say.
▪ Under the constitution, the supreme leader, appointed by conservative clerics, has the final say in matters of state.
▪ It was she who would have the final say as to whether I was migration material or not.
■ VERB
allow
▪ It was only after protests from landlords that they were allowed to have their say.
▪ The corporation was allowed no say in an authoritative international arena in its own demise.
give
▪ Now the anti-Maastricht movement plans to give the voters a say in a Yes-No phone poll after the New Year.
▪ Osborne believes the only way to give physicians a say in how their patients are cared for is to unionize.
▪ The government first designated six areas to be turned into HATs, without the tenants being given a say.
▪ It's time for sports followers to be given their say.
▪ The statute gives him no such say.
▪ And this gives us the final say.
▪ They also give people a say in decisions that affect their lives.
▪ Wives were given a say for the first time, and what they wanted was romantic practicality.
let
▪ Talk too much, and not let others have their say.
▪ Probably the best thing about his show was that he let people have their say.
▪ Typically a group might have a system of going round the table, letting everyone have their say.
▪ Don't let anyone say politics is not about personalities.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
(say) cheese!
I can't rightly say/don't rightly know
I dare say
▪ I dare say things will improve.
▪ Although it was correct, I dare say, and he no doubt intended it as a mark of respect.
▪ His mouth twitches almost imperceptibly. I dare say that mine, under the cover of my beard, twitches faintly back.
▪ There's lots of things that ought, I dare say.
▪ They're all these chemical things now - I dare say they're just as good really.
▪ They sang in perfect harmony, although I dare say Alex Ferguson will complain about the pitch.
▪ Were it not fur her, I dare say Edward Plantagenet would long since have succumbed to ennui and despair.
▪ What Miguel says goes around here, I dare say.
▪ You understand not - how could you? I dare say you never will.
I don't mind admitting/telling you/saying etc
I hate to say it, but .../I hate to tell you this, but ...
I have to say/admit/confess
▪ I have to say I don't know anything about computers.
▪ At this point I have to say he was, from an early age, exceedingly theatrical.
▪ He did not, I have to say, look at all pleased.
▪ He looked, I have to say, absolutely great.
▪ I am rather shaken, I have to confess.
▪ I shall say yes, she was thinking. I have to say yes.
▪ If you find that what I have to say about the specialisation is difficult, don't worry.
▪ Looking through Woodworker I have to say that many of the chairs are anything but comfortable!
▪ None of us slept very easily, I have to say.
I just wanted to say/know etc
▪ I asked them, and this is what they told me. I just wanted to know did you know any more.
▪ In the ambulance, I just wanted to know the damage.
▪ The truth of it was, as miserable as things were, I just wanted to say I had been there.
I mean to say
▪ Good ... Dorothy, I meant to say on Sunday how wonderful the flowers looked.
▪ Really, I mean to say, Stevens.
▪ Well the first main stop light you hit I guess is what I mean to say.
▪ Well, I mean to say, I've got total admiration for the way you chaps work.
I might say/add
▪ And battling it gracefully, I might add, wielding his mighty pen like a sword.
▪ Hair: grey and losing it, I might add.
▪ In passing, I might say how extraordinarily lucky I am to have them here with me.
▪ Likewise. I might add a little oregano, garlic, onions, salt, and butter once in a while.
▪ None of which has been answered yet, I might add.
▪ Very expensive method too I might add.
▪ Yes, they have decided to reinstate you, over my violent objections, I might add.
I must admit/say/confess
▪ At this point I must say that I haven't yet found a carp that didn't eat Tropicanas.
▪ But I must say I was deeply disappointed.
▪ But I must say she's not always as fractious as she appears now.
▪ He went very red in the face. I must say he never did it again.
▪ Lovely site for it, I must say.
▪ Some one must have brought it here for a purpose, but I must admit it looks abandoned.
▪ They were very polite, I must confess.....
▪ This procedure is, I must admit, a limited one, and it is vulnerable to criticism.
I need hardly say/tell/remind etc
▪ Birds have never been one of my major interests, I need hardly say.
▪ How I welcomed Night Duty, I need hardly say.
▪ I need hardly say how heartily I sympathize with the purposes of the Audubon Society.
▪ I need hardly say that I don't care to have things so.
▪ I need hardly say that my wife's first impression of Lewis differed somewhat from my own.
▪ Mr Bawn, I need hardly tell you, is a man of considerable dignity and I would not leave him here.
▪ Type 4 I need hardly say how glad I am.
I would think/imagine/say
▪ And that, I would say, is what we, in our own religious rites, had best be doing too.
▪ Dominic remains, I would say, a preposterously beautiful creature.
▪ Elizabeth: I would say about 185 pounds.
▪ Is there a chance Chrysler might buy Fiat? I would think there's essentially zero chance of that happening.
▪ Perhaps it is more a matter for philosophers than scientists, but I would say not.
▪ Pretty heavily on fire, too, I would think.
▪ That is a prime question, I would say, of this hour in the bringing up of children.
▪ This looks tough, I would think, and then immediately forget about it.
I'll say this/that much for sb/sth
▪ I'll say this much for him, he was consistent until the end.
I'm sorry to say (that)
anything you say
▪ But she won't do anything I say.
▪ If you are a teacher I do not ask you to believe or take on trust anything I say.
▪ It was so cold that anything you said had frozen up before leaving your mouth.
▪ She did not seem surprised by anything I said.
▪ The whole audience became like one and anything somebody say is like you say it.
▪ There's something baldly there about him which inclines me, like Kevin, to distrust anything he says.
▪ They don't expect to understand anything he says.
▪ Why should anything we say have any validity?
before you can say Jack Robinson
come right out with sth/come right out and say sth
dare I say/suggest
▪ Dohnányi, dare I say it, is merely bland.
▪ Fashionwise, it was not a night to look, dare I say it, nice.
▪ For children of all ages this is a fascinating display and one, dare I say it, which reaches new heights.
▪ Of course some of Our Guild Members are dare I say it just that wee bit narrow minded.
▪ What if some one could undergo that absorption with a cool ... dare I say it? ... scientific rationale.
▪ You may, dare I say it, need the money.
easier said than done
enough said
▪ The other trust hospital is at Ayr: enough said.
if you don't mind my saying so/if you don't mind me asking
it goes without saying (that)
▪ And it goes without saying that Wild is a Lisztian of the finest order.
▪ Concentrated, clear meat juice, must, it goes without saying, be added.
▪ Despite these difficulties, it goes without saying that no book should be ordered unless the price is known.
▪ Historically it goes without saying that we have used all kinds of nature, and especially animals, for human benefit.
▪ I think it goes without saying that a rested person is a better person, more able to face life.
▪ Non-fiction books, too, it goes without saying, are a good source.
▪ Of course it goes without saying that the aquarium glass must always be perfectly clean for best results.
it's/that's easy for you to say
let's just say (that)
like I say/said
▪ Like I said, I really appreciate your help.
▪ And like I said, he won't be getting his kicks from smashing up other people's property.
▪ Answer, like I said everybody had materials on that rug.
▪ Anyway, like I said, she wants to make you some food, man.
▪ But like I say now, I want nice furniture to go along with it.
▪ But they're mostly like I say.
▪ Okay, I can picture it happening, like I said I have, one of those things that happen.
might I say/ask/add etc
▪ And what happened to yours, might I ask?
need I ask/need I say more/need I go on etc?
needless to say
▪ Needless to say, we're on a very tight budget.
▪ Basil, needless to say, has found the butter.
▪ But, needless to say, things can get a little crazy in the 24-hour news biz.
▪ Janice, needless to say, was quite unaware of her presence.
▪ Musical value, needless to say, usually ends up being the last thing these folks consider.
▪ The armed robber, needless to say, did not stay around to be sued.
▪ The whole thing, needless to say, is demoralizing.
▪ There was no bathroom, needless to say.
▪ This kind of banter, needless to say, is not acceptable flirting behavior.
never say die
never say die
never say never
▪ I don't want to run for office, but I've learned to never say never. Who knows what will happen in 10 years?
no sooner said than done
not have a bad word to say about/against sb
pardon me for interrupting/asking/saying
▪ Pardon me for asking, but where did you buy your shoes?
say hello
▪ As she came level, I got to my feet and said hello.
▪ But could he come over and say hello to the money machine of the lousy network?
▪ I'd come in from school and he wouldn't say hello to me.
▪ I am quite new to this area and only know people to say hello to.
▪ I boarded the Five McAllister, forgetting to say hello to the cheery Muni driver.
▪ I said hello and sat down on a stack of C-ration cases.
▪ I waited for him to come into my room and say hello.
▪ Then he sat down next to the old man and said hello.
say sth/tell sb sth to their face
say uncle
say/think/decide etc otherwise
▪ But he knew that people thought otherwise, and that their false impression was his own fault.
▪ But I wanted to have it on the record, in case any of you think otherwise.
▪ Donald thinks otherwise - and the upshot may be that he will sue.
▪ Many might seek to use the asylum route and, indeed, it would be naive to think otherwise.
▪ People think otherwise, surely, from politicians: more simply, about horror, fear, survival?
▪ The rich supposedly think otherwise -- and manage to pay very little.
▪ To say otherwise would be bitterness and we know better than to surrender.
▪ To think otherwise, it seems, is to reveal oneself as an ignoramus who does not know enough characters.
suffice (it) to say (that)
▪ Suffice it to say that prayer is an important activity in the Synagogue.
▪ For the moment, suffice it to say that I take a skeptical view of the structural analyses offered.
▪ It suffices to say we launched a host of programs to rectify the situation.
that is (to say)
▪ One solution would be to change the shape of the TV screen -- that is, to make it wider.
▪ A standard of service that is second to none, with a speed and quality guarantee for all repairs.
▪ But it is not a dream that is likely to come true, though perhaps not for the obvious reason.
▪ Could you describe the current selling collection hanging out there in a gallery that is also your front room?
▪ First, that is not so.
▪ I look to the current discussions, and also to the United States, to give the ground that is needed.
▪ Scientific knowledge is not proven knowledge, but it does represent knowledge that is probably true.
▪ Uncomplicated computer interface that is truly easy to use.
▪ You won't convince me that the answer to that is necessary for your enquiry.
they say/think etc
▪ Black children from middle-class or affluent families, they say, are more apt to adopt what is commonly called black slang.
▪ But the president essentially endorsed Rumsfeld's approach, they said.
▪ Employers' groups welcomed the reforms, though they said more are necessary to encourage employers to take on permanent staff.
▪ Goodness only knows what makes them tick, or why they thought they could get away with it here.
▪ I thanked them for praying for me and seeing me now, hoped they thought their efforts worthwhile.
▪ Light a match, they say, and flames flicker over it like brandy on a Christmas pudding.
▪ She asked them why; they said it was because they had information that the two children had been sexually abused.
▪ These others stand on something they said.
think/say etc as much
▪ Archaeological analyses say as much about the interpreters as about the extinct cultures.
▪ Even the defense attorneys who went up against him said as much.
▪ He felt convinced that Aeneas was the son-in-law Faunus had predicted, and he said as much to the envoys.
▪ He said as much to Katherine on their second evening together.
▪ He said as much when he finally let things loose.
▪ Kennedy said as much in the summer of 1961, when he met Khrushchev in Vienna.
▪ The women stood in silence, glad of each other's presence and without the need to say as much.
▪ They will do and say as much as they dare, to get the client's money.
to say the least
▪ Mrs. Russel was upset, to say the least.
▪ These maps are difficult to understand, to say the least.
▪ As captain and opening bat, he's an important member of the side, to say the least.
▪ Cartoonish, to say the least.
▪ It is a bizarre setting, to say the least, where the boredom and indifference can be measured in metric tons.
▪ The lamps look, to say the least, unreliable.
▪ The outlook for their national teams is, to say the least, uncertain.
▪ The results of these experiments were, to say the least, puzzling to the researchers.
▪ There would be a bit of confusion, to say the least.
▪ Try as she might, her working relationship with Stephanie Marsa was strained to say the least.
turn around and say/do etc sth
▪ After a couple of months, the Sioux turned around and came back west without permission.
▪ Each was turned around and the wrists cuffed behind their backs.
▪ He turned around and saw the first Stillman shuffling off in the other direction.
▪ He turned around and slowed down, seeing no sign of the monsters.
▪ Lepine turns around and starts spraying the students in the front rows with gunfire.
▪ She turned around and went back to sit in the road.
▪ There was no way to maneuver, even to turn around and get out if we had to.
▪ Why turn around and do the same to one of our own?
well said!
what else can sb do/say?
▪ I told her it looked good. What else could I say?
▪ I do about three hundred sit-ups a day and it still refuses to firm up, but what else can I do?
▪ P.S. Awful - but what else can one do?
▪ So what else can Florida do?
▪ What else can a sinner say?
▪ What else can he realistically do?
▪ What else can I do for you Jim?
▪ What else can I do to improve things?
whatever you say/think/want
▪ And she always did whatever she wanted, which was mostly enjoy herself and ignore her homework.
▪ Dare they call her bluff and just let her get on with whatever she thought she could do to inconvenience them?
▪ Eurydice said her daughter could do whatever she wanted to do.
▪ I eat whatever I want and run three miles a day.
▪ I know that I had no intention of stopping the procedure, whatever anyone said or did to influence me.
▪ In my stupidity-or whatever you want to call it-I tried to move around to his left.
▪ The hon. Gentleman can make whatever he wants of it, but it will still not save his seat.
▪ You think you should get whatever you want right away.
when all's said and done
wouldn't say boo to a goose
you can't say fairer than that
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪ Huckelberry makes a final recommendation to the Board of Supervisors, which has the final say.
▪ Probably the best thing about his show was that he let people have their say.
▪ The public hospitals are managed by the states, and the federal government has very little direct say in them.
III.interjectionPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
(say) cheese!
I can't rightly say/don't rightly know
I dare say
▪ I dare say things will improve.
▪ Although it was correct, I dare say, and he no doubt intended it as a mark of respect.
▪ His mouth twitches almost imperceptibly. I dare say that mine, under the cover of my beard, twitches faintly back.
▪ There's lots of things that ought, I dare say.
▪ They're all these chemical things now - I dare say they're just as good really.
▪ They sang in perfect harmony, although I dare say Alex Ferguson will complain about the pitch.
▪ Were it not fur her, I dare say Edward Plantagenet would long since have succumbed to ennui and despair.
▪ What Miguel says goes around here, I dare say.
▪ You understand not - how could you? I dare say you never will.
I don't mind admitting/telling you/saying etc
I hate to say it, but .../I hate to tell you this, but ...
I have to say/admit/confess
▪ I have to say I don't know anything about computers.
▪ At this point I have to say he was, from an early age, exceedingly theatrical.
▪ He did not, I have to say, look at all pleased.
▪ He looked, I have to say, absolutely great.
▪ I am rather shaken, I have to confess.
▪ I shall say yes, she was thinking. I have to say yes.
▪ If you find that what I have to say about the specialisation is difficult, don't worry.
▪ Looking through Woodworker I have to say that many of the chairs are anything but comfortable!
▪ None of us slept very easily, I have to say.
I just wanted to say/know etc
▪ I asked them, and this is what they told me. I just wanted to know did you know any more.
▪ In the ambulance, I just wanted to know the damage.
▪ The truth of it was, as miserable as things were, I just wanted to say I had been there.
I mean to say
▪ Good ... Dorothy, I meant to say on Sunday how wonderful the flowers looked.
▪ Really, I mean to say, Stevens.
▪ Well the first main stop light you hit I guess is what I mean to say.
▪ Well, I mean to say, I've got total admiration for the way you chaps work.
I might say/add
▪ And battling it gracefully, I might add, wielding his mighty pen like a sword.
▪ Hair: grey and losing it, I might add.
▪ In passing, I might say how extraordinarily lucky I am to have them here with me.
▪ Likewise. I might add a little oregano, garlic, onions, salt, and butter once in a while.
▪ None of which has been answered yet, I might add.
▪ Very expensive method too I might add.
▪ Yes, they have decided to reinstate you, over my violent objections, I might add.
I must admit/say/confess
▪ At this point I must say that I haven't yet found a carp that didn't eat Tropicanas.
▪ But I must say I was deeply disappointed.
▪ But I must say she's not always as fractious as she appears now.
▪ He went very red in the face. I must say he never did it again.
▪ Lovely site for it, I must say.
▪ Some one must have brought it here for a purpose, but I must admit it looks abandoned.
▪ They were very polite, I must confess.....
▪ This procedure is, I must admit, a limited one, and it is vulnerable to criticism.
I need hardly say/tell/remind etc
▪ Birds have never been one of my major interests, I need hardly say.
▪ How I welcomed Night Duty, I need hardly say.
▪ I need hardly say how heartily I sympathize with the purposes of the Audubon Society.
▪ I need hardly say that I don't care to have things so.
▪ I need hardly say that my wife's first impression of Lewis differed somewhat from my own.
▪ Mr Bawn, I need hardly tell you, is a man of considerable dignity and I would not leave him here.
▪ Type 4 I need hardly say how glad I am.
I would think/imagine/say
▪ And that, I would say, is what we, in our own religious rites, had best be doing too.
▪ Dominic remains, I would say, a preposterously beautiful creature.
▪ Elizabeth: I would say about 185 pounds.
▪ Is there a chance Chrysler might buy Fiat? I would think there's essentially zero chance of that happening.
▪ Perhaps it is more a matter for philosophers than scientists, but I would say not.
▪ Pretty heavily on fire, too, I would think.
▪ That is a prime question, I would say, of this hour in the bringing up of children.
▪ This looks tough, I would think, and then immediately forget about it.
I'll say this/that much for sb/sth
▪ I'll say this much for him, he was consistent until the end.
I'm sorry to say (that)
anything you say
▪ But she won't do anything I say.
▪ If you are a teacher I do not ask you to believe or take on trust anything I say.
▪ It was so cold that anything you said had frozen up before leaving your mouth.
▪ She did not seem surprised by anything I said.
▪ The whole audience became like one and anything somebody say is like you say it.
▪ There's something baldly there about him which inclines me, like Kevin, to distrust anything he says.
▪ They don't expect to understand anything he says.
▪ Why should anything we say have any validity?
be/go on (the) record as saying (that)
before you can say Jack Robinson
come right out with sth/come right out and say sth
dare I say/suggest
▪ Dohnányi, dare I say it, is merely bland.
▪ Fashionwise, it was not a night to look, dare I say it, nice.
▪ For children of all ages this is a fascinating display and one, dare I say it, which reaches new heights.
▪ Of course some of Our Guild Members are dare I say it just that wee bit narrow minded.
▪ What if some one could undergo that absorption with a cool ... dare I say it? ... scientific rationale.
▪ You may, dare I say it, need the money.
easier said than done
enough said
▪ The other trust hospital is at Ayr: enough said.
if you don't mind my saying so/if you don't mind me asking
it goes without saying (that)
▪ And it goes without saying that Wild is a Lisztian of the finest order.
▪ Concentrated, clear meat juice, must, it goes without saying, be added.
▪ Despite these difficulties, it goes without saying that no book should be ordered unless the price is known.
▪ Historically it goes without saying that we have used all kinds of nature, and especially animals, for human benefit.
▪ I think it goes without saying that a rested person is a better person, more able to face life.
▪ Non-fiction books, too, it goes without saying, are a good source.
▪ Of course it goes without saying that the aquarium glass must always be perfectly clean for best results.
it's/that's easy for you to say
let's just say (that)
like I say/said
▪ Like I said, I really appreciate your help.
▪ And like I said, he won't be getting his kicks from smashing up other people's property.
▪ Answer, like I said everybody had materials on that rug.
▪ Anyway, like I said, she wants to make you some food, man.
▪ But like I say now, I want nice furniture to go along with it.
▪ But they're mostly like I say.
▪ Okay, I can picture it happening, like I said I have, one of those things that happen.
might I say/ask/add etc
▪ And what happened to yours, might I ask?
need I ask/need I say more/need I go on etc?
needless to say
▪ Needless to say, we're on a very tight budget.
▪ Basil, needless to say, has found the butter.
▪ But, needless to say, things can get a little crazy in the 24-hour news biz.
▪ Janice, needless to say, was quite unaware of her presence.
▪ Musical value, needless to say, usually ends up being the last thing these folks consider.
▪ The armed robber, needless to say, did not stay around to be sued.
▪ The whole thing, needless to say, is demoralizing.
▪ There was no bathroom, needless to say.
▪ This kind of banter, needless to say, is not acceptable flirting behavior.
never say die
never say die
never say never
▪ I don't want to run for office, but I've learned to never say never. Who knows what will happen in 10 years?
no sooner said than done
not have a bad word to say about/against sb
not say a word
▪ Could Sandra please not say a word to anyone, not even the women or the other rescue workers?
▪ He did not say a word, just stared at the sky.
▪ Marty was offering her his handkerchief, not saying a word.
▪ She did not say a word.
▪ She knew that she could not say a word until she had something.
▪ We sit there for a few more minutes not saying a word.
▪ Williams did not say a word until we got back to the company after the mission.
▪ Yoyo does not say a word.
pardon me for interrupting/asking/saying
▪ Pardon me for asking, but where did you buy your shoes?
say a mouthful
say a word/say a few words
say hello
▪ As she came level, I got to my feet and said hello.
▪ But could he come over and say hello to the money machine of the lousy network?
▪ I'd come in from school and he wouldn't say hello to me.
▪ I am quite new to this area and only know people to say hello to.
▪ I boarded the Five McAllister, forgetting to say hello to the cheery Muni driver.
▪ I said hello and sat down on a stack of C-ration cases.
▪ I waited for him to come into my room and say hello.
▪ Then he sat down next to the old man and said hello.
say sth/tell sb sth to their face
say uncle
say/think/decide etc otherwise
▪ But he knew that people thought otherwise, and that their false impression was his own fault.
▪ But I wanted to have it on the record, in case any of you think otherwise.
▪ Donald thinks otherwise - and the upshot may be that he will sue.
▪ Many might seek to use the asylum route and, indeed, it would be naive to think otherwise.
▪ People think otherwise, surely, from politicians: more simply, about horror, fear, survival?
▪ The rich supposedly think otherwise -- and manage to pay very little.
▪ To say otherwise would be bitterness and we know better than to surrender.
▪ To think otherwise, it seems, is to reveal oneself as an ignoramus who does not know enough characters.
suffice (it) to say (that)
▪ Suffice it to say that prayer is an important activity in the Synagogue.
▪ For the moment, suffice it to say that I take a skeptical view of the structural analyses offered.
▪ It suffices to say we launched a host of programs to rectify the situation.
that is (to say)
▪ One solution would be to change the shape of the TV screen -- that is, to make it wider.
▪ A standard of service that is second to none, with a speed and quality guarantee for all repairs.
▪ But it is not a dream that is likely to come true, though perhaps not for the obvious reason.
▪ Could you describe the current selling collection hanging out there in a gallery that is also your front room?
▪ First, that is not so.
▪ I look to the current discussions, and also to the United States, to give the ground that is needed.
▪ Scientific knowledge is not proven knowledge, but it does represent knowledge that is probably true.
▪ Uncomplicated computer interface that is truly easy to use.
▪ You won't convince me that the answer to that is necessary for your enquiry.
they say/think etc
▪ Black children from middle-class or affluent families, they say, are more apt to adopt what is commonly called black slang.
▪ But the president essentially endorsed Rumsfeld's approach, they said.
▪ Employers' groups welcomed the reforms, though they said more are necessary to encourage employers to take on permanent staff.
▪ Goodness only knows what makes them tick, or why they thought they could get away with it here.
▪ I thanked them for praying for me and seeing me now, hoped they thought their efforts worthwhile.
▪ Light a match, they say, and flames flicker over it like brandy on a Christmas pudding.
▪ She asked them why; they said it was because they had information that the two children had been sexually abused.
▪ These others stand on something they said.
think/say etc as much
▪ Archaeological analyses say as much about the interpreters as about the extinct cultures.
▪ Even the defense attorneys who went up against him said as much.
▪ He felt convinced that Aeneas was the son-in-law Faunus had predicted, and he said as much to the envoys.
▪ He said as much to Katherine on their second evening together.
▪ He said as much when he finally let things loose.
▪ Kennedy said as much in the summer of 1961, when he met Khrushchev in Vienna.
▪ The women stood in silence, glad of each other's presence and without the need to say as much.
▪ They will do and say as much as they dare, to get the client's money.
to say the least
▪ Mrs. Russel was upset, to say the least.
▪ These maps are difficult to understand, to say the least.
▪ As captain and opening bat, he's an important member of the side, to say the least.
▪ Cartoonish, to say the least.
▪ It is a bizarre setting, to say the least, where the boredom and indifference can be measured in metric tons.
▪ The lamps look, to say the least, unreliable.
▪ The outlook for their national teams is, to say the least, uncertain.
▪ The results of these experiments were, to say the least, puzzling to the researchers.
▪ There would be a bit of confusion, to say the least.
▪ Try as she might, her working relationship with Stephanie Marsa was strained to say the least.
turn around and say/do etc sth
▪ After a couple of months, the Sioux turned around and came back west without permission.
▪ Each was turned around and the wrists cuffed behind their backs.
▪ He turned around and saw the first Stillman shuffling off in the other direction.
▪ He turned around and slowed down, seeing no sign of the monsters.
▪ Lepine turns around and starts spraying the students in the front rows with gunfire.
▪ She turned around and went back to sit in the road.
▪ There was no way to maneuver, even to turn around and get out if we had to.
▪ Why turn around and do the same to one of our own?
well said!
what else can sb do/say?
▪ I told her it looked good. What else could I say?
▪ I do about three hundred sit-ups a day and it still refuses to firm up, but what else can I do?
▪ P.S. Awful - but what else can one do?
▪ So what else can Florida do?
▪ What else can a sinner say?
▪ What else can he realistically do?
▪ What else can I do for you Jim?
▪ What else can I do to improve things?
whatever you say/think/want
▪ And she always did whatever she wanted, which was mostly enjoy herself and ignore her homework.
▪ Dare they call her bluff and just let her get on with whatever she thought she could do to inconvenience them?
▪ Eurydice said her daughter could do whatever she wanted to do.
▪ I eat whatever I want and run three miles a day.
▪ I know that I had no intention of stopping the procedure, whatever anyone said or did to influence me.
▪ In my stupidity-or whatever you want to call it-I tried to move around to his left.
▪ The hon. Gentleman can make whatever he wants of it, but it will still not save his seat.
▪ You think you should get whatever you want right away.
when all's said and done
without (saying) a word
▪ He throws himself without a word on to the blanket beside him.
▪ Jed began to know where Creed wanted to go without a word being uttered.
▪ Now this woman of endless stories, a teacher, lies without words, waiting to die.
▪ She turned without a word and walked back to where her friends lay like casualties.
▪ Sitting down opposite without a word he picked up the glass and emptied the contents down his throat.
▪ Still without a word Pearl brought Ezra to the tiny kitchen.
▪ The place is empty but for the bar and three or four slightly-built lads shooting pool without words.
▪ Then she turned and without a word left him and the house, too.
wouldn't say boo to a goose
you can't say fairer than that
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
▪ Say, Mike, how about a beer after work?
▪ Say, my lights don't work.