From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary EnglishI mean to sayI mean to sayEXPLAINused when adding a reason or explanation for something you have just said, especially something you feel strongly about Of course she wants to see the children – I mean to say, it’s only natural isn’t it? → mean
Examples from the Corpus
I mean to say• Well the first main stop light you hit I guess is what I mean to say.• Well, I mean to say, I've got total admiration for the way you chaps work.• Good ... Dorothy, I meant to say on Sunday how wonderful the flowers looked.• Really, I mean to say, Stevens. 