say to oneself

say to (oneself)

1. To vocalize one's thoughts without addressing them to anyone in particular, especially in a lowered voice or in one's mind. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "say" and "to." "You can do this," I said to myself. "You've done it before and you can do it again." I could hear him saying things to himself as I came down the stairs.

2. To form or focus on some particular thought in one's mind. I keep saying to myself that I will start exercising more regularly, but I just keep letting the days slip by. He said to himself that he would never let himself get duped like that again.

See also: say, to

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

say something to oneself

 

1. Lit. to mutter something to oneself so that no one else can hear. He said something to himself, but I didn't catch what it was. I said the answer to myself and no one else was supposed to hear it.

2. Fig. to think something to oneself. When I thought of him as a basketball player, I said to myself that he really isn't tall enough. I said a few choice critical remarks to myself when she presented her talk.

See also: say, to

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.