say the word

present singular third person says the word · participle present saying the word · participle past said the word · past said the word

1. idiomaticTo indicate that it is time to perform an action; to give permission.

   "A primitive fellow. I'll kick him out if you say the word, my dear."

   1921, Edgar Wallace, chapter 6, in The Black

   3 more examples

   "I wish—When shall we have courage to marry, Jude?" "Whenever you have it, I think I shall. It remains with you entirely, dear. Only say the word, and it's done."

   1895, Thomas Hardy, chapter 3, in Jude the Obscure

   "[I]f there's anything I can do to help you make the grade, just say the word."

   2003 May 31, Brian Glanville, “Trevor Ford: Welsh soccer star who gave and took hard knocks”, in Guardian, retrieved 29 Aug 2020

   "What do you want? You want the moon? Just say the word, and I’ll throw a lasso around it and pull it down."

   2017 December 9, Tyler Kepner, “The Yankees Will Always Be the Yankees, to the Delight of Only Some”, in New York Times, retrieved 29 Aug 2020

   Synonyms: give the word