English

Verb

say it all ‎(third-person singular simple present says it all, present participle saying it all, simple past and past participle said it all)

1. (idiomatic) To express the essential characteristics of a person, thing, or situation in a concise, well-crafted turn of phrase or in some other pithy manner.^[1]
   • 1987 May 3, Thomas J. Knudson, "Montana Grapples with High Worker Insurance," New York Times (retrieved 4 June 2015):

     "One Idaho logger told my sons, ‘We're stealing your lunch,’" said Connie M. Wood, owner of the Topper Wood Trucking Company in Libby. "That seems to say it all."

   • 2004 Feb. 13, Denise Pearson, "And they say romance is dead...," Guardian (UK) (retrieved 4 June 2015):

     The look on his face said it all. He was terrified!

   • 2011 Jan. 20, James Poniewozik, "The Onion's New Fake News Show," Time (retrieved 4 June 2015):

     The show's slogan says it all: "News without mercy."

   • 2015 May 30, Helen Carson, "Pic of the week: Downer... Rory struggles on home soil," Belfast Telegraph (retrieved 4 June 2015):

     Rory McIlroy looked downcast . . . his body language saying it all, head down and shoulders slumped, he is a picture of bitter disappointment.

Synonyms

• nail it

See also

• say no more

References

1. ↑ Cf. William Safire (New York Times, May 20, 1984): "To say it all means ‘to reveal the essence’ or ‘to signal the bottom line,’ as if what small amount has been said or shown is a synecdoche for all that could possibly exist on the subject."