say when

verb

An imperative form used to request that the interlocutor indicate when one should stop doing something, esp. pouring a drink, because one has reached a sufficient amount.

“Say when! ― When! Thanks.”

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Meanings

verbsay when (third-person singular simple present says when, present participle saying when, simple past and past participle said when)

present singular third person says when · participle present saying when · participle past said when · past said when

  1. idiomaticAn imperative form used to request that the interlocutor indicate when one should stop doing something, esp. pouring a drink, because one has reached a sufficient amount.

    Say when! ― When! Thanks.

    1 more example

    The publican placed a whisky bottle and three glasses on the ledge and Grierson poured, with the courtesy of, "Say when," to the trooper, who was forced to exclaim, "Hold on!" in protest at a tumbler three-quarters full of whisky.

    1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, 1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1962, →OCLC, page 161

Translations

Chinese Cantonese 夠就話我知 /够就话我知
  • 夠就話我知 /够就话我知 (gau³ zau⁶ waa⁶ ngo⁵ zi¹)imperative to request when the pouring of a drink should stop
Chinese Mandarin 夠了就告訴我 /够了就告诉我
  • 夠了就告訴我 /够了就告诉我 (gòu le jiù gàosù wǒ)imperative to request when the pouring of a drink should stop
Czech řekni dost
  • řekni dostimperative to request when the pouring of a drink should stop
Danish sige til
  • sige tilimperative to request when the pouring of a drink should stop
Finnish sano, kun riittää
  • sano, kun riittääimperative to request when the pouring of a drink should stop
German sag stopp
  • sag stoppimperative to request when the pouring of a drink should stop
Hungarian szólj, ha elég, szólj, mennyit/meddig töltsek (hogy)
  • szólj, ha elégimperative to request when the pouring of a drink should stop
  • szólj, mennyit/meddig töltsek (hogy)imperative to request when the pouring of a drink should stop
Italian dimmi basta
  • dimmi bastaimperative to request when the pouring of a drink should stop
Cite this entry
APA

say when. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/say%20when

MLA

“say when.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/say%20when. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “say when,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/say%20when.

Source: say when on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.