tell

[ tel ]

/ tɛl /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR tell ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), told, tell·ing.

to give an account or narrative of; narrate; relate (a story, tale, etc.): to tell the story of Lincoln's childhood.

to make known by speech or writing (a fact, news, information, etc.); communicate.

to announce or proclaim.

to utter (the truth, a lie, etc.).

to express in words (thoughts, feelings, etc.).

to reveal or divulge (something secret or private).

to say plainly or positively: I cannot tell just what was done.

to discern or recognize (a distant person or thing) so as to be able to identify or describe: Can you tell who that is over there?

to distinguish; discriminate; ascertain: You could hardly tell the difference between them.

to inform (a person) of something: He told me his name.

to assure emphatically: I won't, I tell you!

to bid, order, or command: Tell him to stop.

to mention one after another, as in enumerating; count or set one by one or in exact amount: to tell the cattle in a herd; All told there were 17 if we are correct.

verb (used without object), told, tell·ing.

to give an account or report: Tell me about your trip.

to give evidence or be an indication: The ruined temples told of an ancient culture, long since passed from existence.

to disclose something secret or private; inform; tattle: She knows who did it, but she won't tell.

to say positively; determine; predict: Who can tell?

to have force or effect; operate effectively: a contest in which every stroke tells.

to produce a marked or severe effect: The strain was telling on his health.

British Dialect. to talk or chat.

Verb Phrases

tell off,

to separate from the whole and assign to a particular duty.
Informal. to rebuke severely; scold: It was about time that someone told him off.

tell on, to tattle on (someone).

Idioms for tell

tell it like it is, Informal. to tell the complete, unadulterated truth; be forthright: He may be crude but he tells it like it is.

Origin of tell

before 900; Middle English tellen, Old English tellan to relate, count; cognate with Dutch tellen to reckon, count, Old Norse telja to count, say, Old High German zellēn; akin to tale

SYNONYMS FOR tell

1 recount, describe, report.

2 impart.

4 speak.

6 disclose, betray; acknowledge, own, confess; declare.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR tell ON THESAURUS.COM

Words nearby tell

telic, telidon, teliospore, telium, telkom, tell, tell a thing or two, tell apart, tell el amarna, tell it like it is, tell it to the marines

British Dictionary definitions for tell on (1 of 3)

Tell

/ (tɛl) /

noun

William, German name Wilhelm Tell. a legendary Swiss patriot, who, traditionally, lived in the early 14th century and was compelled by an Austrian governor to shoot an apple from his son's head with one shot of his crossbow. He did so without mishap

British Dictionary definitions for tell on (2 of 3)

tell ¹

/ (tɛl) /

verb tells, telling or told

(when tr, may take a clause as object) to let know or notify he told me that he would go

(tr) to order or instruct (someone to do something) I told her to send the letter airmail

(when intr, usually foll by of) to give an account or narration (of something) she told me her troubles

(tr) to communicate by words; utter to tell the truth

(tr) to make known; disclose to tell fortunes

(intr often foll by of) to serve as an indication her blush told of her embarrassment

(tr; used with can, etc; may take a clause as object) to comprehend, discover, or discern I can tell what is wrong

(tr; used with can, etc) to distinguish or discriminate he couldn't tell chalk from cheese

(intr) to have or produce an impact, effect, or strain every step told on his bruised feet

(intr sometimes foll by on) informal to reveal secrets or gossip (about) don't tell!; she told on him

(tr) to assure I tell you, I've had enough!

(tr) to count (votes)

(intr) dialect to talk or chatter

informal, mainly US to tell the truth no matter how unpleasant it is

tell the time to read the time from a clock

you're telling me slang I know that very well

Derived forms of tell

tellable, adjective

Word Origin for tell

Old English tellan; related to Old Saxon tellian, Old High German zellen to tell, count, Old Norse telja

British Dictionary definitions for tell on (3 of 3)

tell ²

/ (tɛl) /

noun

a large mound resulting from the accumulation of rubbish on a long-settled site, esp one with mudbrick buildings, particularly in the Middle East

Word Origin for tell

C19: from Arabic tall

Idioms and Phrases with tell on (1 of 2)

tell on

Tattle on, inform on, as in Marjorie said she'd tell on him if he pulled her hair again. This seemingly modern term appeared in a 1539 translation of the Bible (I Samuel 27:11): “David saved neither man nor woman ... for fear (said he) lest they should tell on us.”

Idioms and Phrases with tell on (2 of 2)

tell

In addition to the idioms beginning with tell

tell apart
tell a thing or two
tell it like it is
tell it to the Marines
tell me
tell off
tell on
tell someone where to get off
tell tales
tell time

also see:

do tell
kiss and tell
show and tell
something tells me
there's no telling
thing or two, tell a
time will tell
which is which, tell
you never can tell
you're telling me

Also see undertold.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

tell

verb (used with object), told, tell·ing.

verb (used without object), told, tell·ing.

Verb Phrases

Idioms for tell

Origin of tell

SYNONYMS FOR tell

Words nearby tell

British Dictionary definitions for tell on (1 of 3)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for tell on (2 of 3)

verb tells, telling or told

Derived forms of tell

Word Origin for tell

British Dictionary definitions for tell on (3 of 3)

noun

Word Origin for tell

Idioms and Phrases with tell on (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with tell on (2 of 2)

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

tell

verb (used with object), told, tell·ing.

verb (used without object), told, tell·ing.

Verb Phrases

Idioms for tell

Origin of tell

SYNONYMS FOR tell

Words nearby tell

Words related to tell on

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for tell on (1 of 3)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for tell on (2 of 3)

verb tells, telling or told

Derived forms of tell

Word Origin for tell

British Dictionary definitions for tell on (3 of 3)

noun

Word Origin for tell

Idioms and Phrases with tell on (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with tell on (2 of 2)

British Dictionary definitions for tell on (1 of 3)