saying

(sā'ĭng)
n.
Something, such as an adage or maxim, that is said.

SYNONYMS   saying, maxim, adage, saw, motto, epigram, proverb, 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. A motto expresses the aims, character, or guiding principles of a person, group, or institution: "Exuberance over taste" is my motto. An epigram is a witty expression, often paradoxical or satirical and neatly or brilliantly phrased: In his epigram Samuel Johnson called remarriage a "triumph of hope over experience." Proverb refers to an old and popular saying that illustrates something such as a basic truth or a practical precept: "Slow and steady wins the race" is a proverb to live by. 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.

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noun

1. Something said: statement, utterance, word. See words.
2. A usually pithy and familiar statement expressing an observation or principle generally accepted as wise or true: adage, aphorism, byword, maxim, motto, proverb, saw. See words.

IN BRIEF: n. - A word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations; Uttering or speaking.

We can learn to be whole by saying what we mean and doing what we say. — Martin Buber

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For a list of words related to saying, see:

• Rhetoric and Figures of Speech - saying: formulation grown familiar through repetition; adage; saw

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See words rhyming with "saying."

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - mundheld, ordsprog

idioms:

• as the saying goes    som man siger
• goes without saying    det siger sig selv, det er klart

Nederlands (Dutch)
gezegde, zegswijze, spreekwoord

Français (French)
n. - dicton, adage

idioms:

• as the saying goes    comme le proverbe dit
• go without saying    aller sans dire

Deutsch (German)
n. - Redensart, Ausspruch

idioms:

• as the saying goes    wie es so schön heißt
• go without saying    sich von selbst verstehen

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - απόφθεγμα, παροιμία

idioms:

• as the saying goes    όπως λέει (και) η παροιμία
• goes without saying    εξυπακούεται

Italiano (Italian)
detto

idioms:

• as the saying goes    come dice il proverbio
• goes without saying    va da sé

Português (Portuguese)
n. - provérbio (m), relato (m), frase (f)

idioms:

• as the saying goes    como diz o ditado
• goes without saying    não é preciso dizer

Русский (Russian)
пословица, афоризм, высказывание, устное заявление, предсказание

idioms:

• as the saying goes    как говорится
• goes without saying    несомненно

Español (Spanish)
n. - dicho, frase hecha, refrán, rumor

idioms:

• as the saying goes    como dice el refrán
• go without saying    sin mencionar palabra

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - uttalande, yttrande, ordstäv, ordspråk, tankespråk

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
说话, 发表言论, 格言, 谚语, 警句, 话, 言论

idioms:

• as the saying goes    俗话说, 常言道
• goes without saying    不用说

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 說話, 發表言論, 格言, 諺語, 警句, 話, 言論

idioms:

• as the saying goes    俗話說, 常言道
• goes without saying    不用說

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 말하기, 속담, 격언

idioms:

• as the saying goes    속담에도 있듯이, 흔히들 말하듯이

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 言うこと, 言説, 言いならわし, 格言

idioms:

• as the saying goes    ことわざにある通り
• goes without saying    無言で行く

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) قول مأثور, قول أو مثل‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮פתגם, מימרה‬

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