Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Unsay

Un-say

,
Verb.
T.
[1st pref.
un-
+
say
.]
To recant or recall, as what has been said; to refract; to take back again; to make as if not said.
You can say and
unsay
things at pleasure.
Goldsmith.

Webster 1828 Edition


Unsay

UNSA'Y

,
Verb.
T.
pret. and pp. unsaid. To recant or recall what has been said; to retract; to deny something declared.
Say and unsay, feign, flatter or abjure.

Definition 2024


unsay

unsay

English

Verb

unsay (third-person singular simple present unsays, present participle unsaying, simple past and past participle unsaid)

  1. To withdraw, retract (something said).
    • 1851, Herman Melville, Moby-Dick:
      And in the first place, you will be so good as to unsay that story about selling his head, which if true I take to be good evidence that this harpooneer is stark mad [...].
  2. To not have said (since this is physically impossible usually in the subjunctive, as I wish I could unsay).
    There are somethings I'd like to unsay... to my boss... right before he decided to fire me.

See also