saying

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say·ing

 (sā′ĭng)
n.
Something, such as an adage or maxim, that is said.
Synonyms: saying, maxim, adage, saw2, aphorism
These nouns refer to concise verbal expressions setting forth wisdom or a truth. A saying is an often repeated and familiar expression: a collection of philosophical sayings. Maxim denotes particularly an expression of a general truth or a rule of conduct: "For a wise man, he seemed to me ... to be governed too much by general maxims" (Edmund Burke).
Adage applies to a saying that has gained credit through long use: a gift that gave no credence to the adage, "Good things come in small packages." Saw often refers to a familiar saying that has become trite through frequent repetition: old saws that gave little comfort to the losing team. Aphorism, denoting a concise expression of a truth or principle, implies depth of content and stylistic distinction: Few writers have coined more aphorisms than Benjamin Franklin.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

saying

(ˈseɪɪŋ)
n
a maxim, adage, or proverb
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

say•ing

(ˈseɪ ɪŋ)

n.
something said, esp. a proverb or maxim.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.saying - a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situationssaying - a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations; "pardon the expression"
Beatitude - one of the eight sayings of Jesus at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount; in Latin each saying begins with `beatus' (blessed); "her favorite Beatitude is `Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth'"
logion - a saying of Jesus that is regarded as authentic although it is not recorded in the Gospels
calque, calque formation, loan translation - an expression introduced into one language by translating it from another language; "`superman' is a calque for the German `Ubermensch'"
advice and consent - a legal expression in the United States Constitution that allows the Senate to constrain the President's powers of appointment and treaty-making
ambiguity - an expression whose meaning cannot be determined from its context
euphemism - an inoffensive or indirect expression that is substituted for one that is considered offensive or too harsh
dysphemism - an offensive or disparaging expression that is substituted for an inoffensive one; "his favorite dysphemism was to ask for axle grease when he wanted butter"
shucks - an expression of disappointment or irritation
speech communication, spoken communication, spoken language, voice communication, oral communication, speech, language - (language) communication by word of mouth; "his speech was garbled"; "he uttered harsh language"; "he recorded the spoken language of the streets"
tongue twister - an expression that is difficult to articulate clearly; "`rubber baby buggy bumper' is a tongue twister"
anatomical, anatomical reference - an expression that relates to anatomy
southernism - a locution or pronunciation peculiar to the southern United States
catchword, motto, shibboleth, slogan - a favorite saying of a sect or political group
axiom, maxim - a saying that is widely accepted on its own merits
epigram, quip - a witty saying
adage, byword, proverb, saw - a condensed but memorable saying embodying some important fact of experience that is taken as true by many people
idiomatic expression, phrasal idiom, set phrase, phrase, idiom - an expression whose meanings cannot be inferred from the meanings of the words that make it up
agrapha - sayings of Jesus not recorded in the canonical Gospels
sumpsimus - a correct expression that takes the place of a popular but incorrect expression; "he preferred his erroneous but pleasing mumpsimus to the correct sumpsimus"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

saying

noun proverb, maxim, adage, saw, slogan, gnome, dictum, axiom, aphorism, byword, apophthegm that old saying: 'Charity begins at home'
go without saying be obvious, be understood, be taken for granted, be accepted, be self-evident, be taken as read, be a matter of course It should go without saying that you shouldn't smoke.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

saying

noun
1. Something said:
2. A usually pithy and familiar statement expressing an observation or principle generally accepted as wise or true:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
قَوْلقَوْل مأْثور
rčenípořekadlo
talemådeordsprog
sanonta
izreka
közmondásmondásszólásmondás
orîatiltæki; málsháttur
ことわざ
말하기
porekadlo
izrek
ordspråk
สุภาษิต
tục ngữ

saying

[ˈseɪɪŋ] Ndicho m, refrán m
it's just a sayinges un refrán, es un dicho
as the saying goescomo dice el refrán
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

saying

[ˈseɪɪŋ] ndicton m, proverbe m
It's just a saying → C'est juste un dicton.say-so [ˈseɪsəʊ] n
on his say-so → parce qu'il le dit
without his say-so → sans son aval
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

saying

nRedensart f; (= proverb)Sprichwort nt; as the saying goeswie man so sagt, wie es so schön heißt
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

saying

[ˈseɪɪŋ] ndetto
as the saying goes → come dice il proverbio
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

say

(sei) 3rd person singular present tense says (sez) : past tense, past participle said (sed) verb
1. to speak or utter. What did you say?; She said `Yes'.
2. to tell, state or declare. She said how she had enjoyed meeting me; She is said to be very beautiful.
3. to repeat. The child says her prayers every night.
4. to guess or estimate. I can't say when he'll return.
noun
the right or opportunity to state one's opinion. I haven't had my say yet; We have no say in the decision.
ˈsaying noun
something often said, especially a proverb etc.
have (something, *nothingetc) to say for oneself
to be able/unable to explain one's actions etc. Your work is very careless – what have you to say for yourself?
I wouldn't say no to
I would like. I wouldn't say no to an ice-cream.
(let's) say
roughly; approximately; about. You'll arrive there in, (let's) say, three hours.
say the word
I'm ready to obey your wishes. If you'd like to go with me, say the word.
that is to say
in other words; I mean. He was here last Thursday, that's to say the 4th of June.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

saying

قَوْل rčení talemåde Sprichwort ρητό dicho sanonta expression izreka detto ことわざ 말하기 gezegde ordtak powiedzenie ditado popular высказывание ordspråk สุภาษิต deyim tục ngữ 说法
Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
References in classic literature ?
He said that the repayment of a debt is just, and in saying so he appears to me to be right.
So saying, he gave the spur to his steed Rocinante, heedless of the cries his squire Sancho sent after him, warning him that most certainly they were windmills and not giants he was going to attack.
On this the stranger, who was a famous African magician, fell on his neck and kissed him, saying: "I am your uncle, and knew you from your likeness to my brother.
But are you in earnest, Socrates, in saying that you do not know what virtue is?
The Frog that lived in the pond warned his friend to change his residence and entreated him to come and live with him, saying that he would enjoy greater safety from danger and more abundant food.
AN Unworthy Man who had laughed at the woes of a Woman whom he loved, was bewailing his indiscretion in sack-cloth-of-gold and ashes-of-roses, when the Angel of Compassion looked down upon him, saying:
"Never a barrel the better herring," cries he, " Noscitur a socio , is a true saying. It must be confessed, indeed, that the lady in the fine garments is the civiller of the two; but I warrant neither of them are a bit better than they should be.
Yet whenever she made suggestions as to how the thing was to be done, he snubbed her by saying
It was not without difficulty that Dom Claude managed to hear what they were saying, through the humming of the blood, which was boiling in his temples.
So saying, they all stepped out once more, with the right foot foremost, as the saying is.
Hector was glad when he heard this saying, and went in among the Trojans, grasping his spear by the middle to hold them back, and they all sat down.
When this was agreed upon and settled, the man strapped on the runner's other leg, saying to him, 'Now be nimble, and see that we win!' It was arranged that whoever should first bring water out of a stream a long way off, should be the victor.