What is "saying"

Say \Say\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Said (s[e^]d), contracted from sayed; p. pr. & vb. n. Saying.] [OE. seggen, seyen, siggen, sayen, sayn, AS. secgan; akin to OS. seggian, D. zeggen, LG. seggen, OHG. sag[=e]n, G. sagen, Icel. segja, Sw. s["a]ga, Dan. sige, Lith. sakyti; cf. OL. insece tell, relate, Gr. 'e`nnepe (for 'en-sepe), 'e`spete. Cf. Saga, Saw a saying.]

1. To utter or express in words; to tell; to speak; to declare; as, he said many wise things.

   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.

Saying \Say"ing\, n. That which is said; a declaration; a statement, especially a proverbial one; an aphorism; a proverb.

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.

"utterance, recitation, action of the verb 'say,' " c.1300, verbal noun from say (v.); meaning "something that has been said" (usually by someone thought important) is from c.1300; sense of "a proverb" is first attested mid-15c.\n\nÇa va sans dire, a familiar French locution, whose English equivalent might be "that is a matter of course," or "that may be taken for granted." But recently it has become the tendency to translate it literally, "that goes without saying," and these words, though originally uncouth and almost unmeaning to the unpractised ear, are gradually acquiring the exact meaning of the French. [Walsh, 1892]

n. A proverb or maxim; something often said. vb. (present participle of say English)

n. a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations; "pardon the expression" [syn: expression, locution]

A saying is any concisely written or spoken linguistic expression that is especially memorable because of its meaning or structure.

There are a number of specific types of sayings:

• Aphorism – A saying that contains a general, observational truth; "a pithy expression of wisdom or truth".
  • Adage, proverb, or saw – A widely known or popular aphorism that has gained its credibility by virtue of long use.
  • Apophthegm – "[A]n edgy, more cynical aphorism; such as, 'Men are generally more careful of the breed of their horses and dogs than of their children.'"
• Cliché or bromide – An unoriginal and overused saying.
  • Platitude – A cliché unsuccessfully presented as though it were truly meaningful, original, or effective.
• Epigram – A clever and often poetic written saying that comments on a particular person, idea, or thing.
• Epitaph – A saying in honor of a dead person, often engraved on a headstone or plaque.
• Epithet – A descriptive word or saying already widely associated with a particular person, idea, or thing.
• Idiom – A saying that has only a non-literal interpretation; "an expression whose meaning can't be derived simply by hearing it, such as ' Kick the bucket.'"
  • Four-character idiom
    • Chengyu – Chinese four-character idioms
    • Sajaseong-eo – Korean form of four-character idioms
    • Yojijukugo – Japanese form of four-character idioms
• Mantra – A religious, mystical, or other spiritual saying that is repeated over and over, for example, in meditation.
• Maxim or gnome – (1) An instructional saying about a general principle or rule for behavior; or, simply, (2) an aphorism.
• Motto – A saying used frequently by an individual person or group to concisely state their general outlook or intentions.
• Quip – A clever or funny saying based on an observation.
• Witticism – A saying that is clever, and also usually funny, notable for its form or style just as much as (or more than) its content.