Word
said
US/ˈsɛd/
UK/sˈɛd/
Definitions
01past of 'say'
A1 · Beginner
v. the past tense of 'say', used to report what someone spoke.
v. past tense and past participle of 'say'.
“She said hello to me when we met in the hallway this morning.”
“The witness said that he had seen the vehicle departing the scene, though he could not recall the license plate number.”
Usage
Often introduces direct or indirect speech; requires 'to' before a personal object.
Pitfall
He said me that he was tired.
He told me that he was tired.
You 'say something' or 'say something to someone', but you 'tell someone something'. Do not use an indirect object immediately after 'said'.
02mentioned before
C1 · Advanced Law Formal · Technical
adj. used to talk about a person or thing that you already mentioned.
adj. referring to a person, object, or matter previously mentioned in a text. Often functions as a determiner.
“The said person must sign the document before the end of the day.”
“Upon review of the evidence, the judge determined that the said property had indeed been transferred without proper authorization.”
Usage
Usually placed immediately before the noun it modifies; common in legal and bureaucratic contexts.
Teaching tip
This sense is highly formal; learners should avoid using it in casual conversation or standard essays, where 'this' or 'that' is preferred.
Synonyms
Etymology
From Middle English seide (preterite) and seid, iseid (past participle), from Old English sǣde, sæġde (preterite) and ġesæġd (past participle), equivalent to say + -ed.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- A1 · Beginner
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/said