人们说, 据说, 通常认为

Say \Say\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Said} (s[e^]d), contracted from
sayed; p. pr. & vb. n. {Saying}.] [OE. seggen, seyen, siggen,
sayen, sayn, AS. secgan; akin to OS. seggian, D. zeggen, LG.
seggen, OHG. sag[=e]n, G. sagen, Icel. segja, Sw. s["a]ga,
Dan. sige, Lith. sakyti; cf. OL. insece tell, relate, Gr.
'e`nnepe (for 'en-sepe), 'e`spete. Cf. {Saga}, {Saw} a
saying.]
1. To utter or express in words; to tell; to speak; to
declare; as, he said many wise things.

Arise, and say how thou camest here. --Shak.

2. To repeat; to rehearse; to recite; to pronounce; as, to
say a lesson.

Of my instruction hast thou nothing bated
In what thou hadst to say? --Shak.

After which shall be said or sung the following
hymn. --Bk. of Com.
Prayer.

3. To announce as a decision or opinion; to state positively;
to assert; hence, to form an opinion upon; to be sure
about; to be determined in mind as to.

But what it is, hard is to say. --Milton.

4. To mention or suggest as an estimate, hypothesis, or
approximation; hence, to suppose; -- in the imperative,
followed sometimes by the subjunctive; as, he had, say
fifty thousand dollars; the fox had run, say ten miles.

Say, for nonpayment that the debt should double,
Is twenty hundred kisses such a trouble? --Shak.

{It is said}, or {They say}, it is commonly reported; it is
rumored; people assert or maintain.

{That is to say}, that is; in other words; otherwise.