What does "said" mean?

1. (previously mentioned) used to talk about a person or thing that you have already mentioned. 2. (the mentioned item) the specific thing that was just talked about.

How do you use "said"?

Usually placed before the noun it modifies.

said

adj. · det.

US //ˈsɛd// UK //sˈɛd// said

1 previously mentioned (adj.)
C1 Advanced Formal Technical

used to talk about a person or thing that you have already mentioned.

referring to a person or thing previously mentioned or named; used to avoid ambiguity in formal contexts.

Example

The said person must appear in court on Tuesday morning.

Example

The said property shall remain in the possession of the tenant until the contract expires.

Usage

Usually placed before the noun it modifies.

Teacher's tip

This sense is almost exclusively found in legal documents or very formal reports; it sounds unnatural in everyday conversation.
- aforesaid
- above mentioned
2 the mentioned item (det.)
C1 Advanced Formal Technical

the specific thing that was just talked about.

functioning as a demonstrative to identify a specific entity already established in the text.

Example

After the car was sold, said car was involved in an accident.

Example

The applicant must provide proof of identity; said proof must be a valid passport or driving license.
- that
- the

Origin

From Middle English seide (preterite) and seid, iseid (past participle), from Old English sǣde, sæġde (preterite) and ġesæġd (past participle), equivalent to say + -ed.

Idioms5 entries