Dictionary

say it all en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Meanings

1. (idiomatic) To express the essential characteristics of a person, thing, or situation in a concise, well-crafted turn of phrase or in some other pithy manner.
   • "One Idaho logger told my sons, ‘We're stealing your lunch,’" said Connie M. Wood, owner of the Topper Wood Trucking Company in Libby. "That seems to say it all." 1987 May 3, Thomas J. Knudson, “Montana Grapples with High Worker Insurance”, in New York Times, retrieved 04 Jun 2015:
   • The show's slogan says it all: "News without mercy." 2011 January 20, James Poniewozik, “The Onion's New Fake News Show”, in Time, retrieved 04 Jun 2015:
2. (idiomatic) To convey information implicitly in a non-verbal way.
   • The look on his face said it all. He was terrified! 2004 February 13, Denise Pearson, “And they say romance is dead...”, in Guardian, UK, retrieved 04 Jun 2015:
   • Rory McIlroy looked downcast . . . his body language saying it all, head down and shoulders slumped, he is a picture of bitter disappointment. 2015 May 30, Helen Carson, “Pic of the week: Downer... Rory struggles on home soil”, in Belfast Telegraph, retrieved 04 Jun 2015:

Forms

Deriveds

SSIA

Relateds

say no more

Synonyms

speak volumes (convey information implicitly) · nail it (express essential characteristics concisely)

Translations (6)

de eine eindeutige Sprache sprechen (to convey information implicitly and non-verbally.) · de eigentlich alles gesagt sein mit (to sum up the characteristics of someone or thing in a pithy manner.) · fr en dire long (to convey information implicitly and non-verbally.) · de Bände sprechen (to convey information implicitly and non-verbally.) · mi kua oti te ao (to sum up the characteristics of someone or thing in a pithy manner.) · nl boekdelen spreken (to convey information implicitly and non-verbally.)