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View synonyms for tell

tell

1

[ tel ]

verb (used with object)

, told, tell·ing.
  1. to give an account or narrative of; narrate; relate (a story, tale, etc.):

    to tell the story of Lincoln's childhood.

    Synonyms: report, describe, recount

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

    Synonyms: impart

  3. to announce or proclaim.
  4. to utter (the truth, a lie, etc.).

    Synonyms: speak

  5. to express in words (thoughts, feelings, etc.).
  6. to reveal or divulge (something secret or private).

    Synonyms: spill the beans, confess, avow, admit, own, acknowledge, reveal, expose, disclose, betray, bare, squeal

  7. to say plainly or positively:

    I cannot tell just what was done.

  8. 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?

  9. to distinguish; discriminate; ascertain:

    You could hardly tell the difference between them.

  10. to inform (a person) of something:

    He told me his name.

  11. to assure emphatically:

    I won't, I tell you!

  12. to bid, order, or command:

    Tell him to stop.

  13. 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.
  1. to give an account or report:

    Tell me about your trip.

  2. to give evidence or be an indication:

    The ruined temples told of an ancient culture, long since passed from existence.

  3. to disclose something secret or private; inform; tattle:

    She knows who did it, but she won't tell.

  4. to say positively; determine; predict:

    Who can tell?

  5. to have force or effect; operate effectively:

    a contest in which every stroke tells.

  6. to produce a marked or severe effect:

    The strain was telling on his health.

  7. British Dialect. to talk or chat.

verb phrase

  1. to tattle on (someone).
    1. to separate from the whole and assign to a particular duty.
    2. Informal. to rebuke severely; scold:

      It was about time that someone told him off.

tell

2

[ tel ]

noun

  1. an artificial mound consisting of the accumulated remains of one or more ancient settlements (often used in Egypt and the Middle East as part of a placename).

Tell

3

[ tel ]

noun

  1. Wil·helm [vil, -helm]. William Tell.

Tell

1

/ tɛl /

noun

  1. TellWilliam14th century14th centuryMSwissMISC: legendary patriot 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
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


tell

2

/ tɛl /

noun

  1. a large mound resulting from the accumulation of rubbish on a long-settled site, esp one with mudbrick buildings, particularly in the Middle East
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

tell

3

/ tɛl /

verb

  1. when tr, may take a clause as object to let know or notify

    he told me that he would go

  2. tr to order or instruct (someone to do something)

    I told her to send the letter airmail

  3. whenintr, usually foll by of to give an account or narration (of something)

    she told me her troubles

  4. tr to communicate by words; utter

    to tell the truth

  5. tr to make known; disclose

    to tell fortunes

  6. introften foll byof to serve as an indication

    her blush told of her embarrassment

  7. tr; used with can, etc; may take a clause as object to comprehend, discover, or discern

    I can tell what is wrong

  8. tr; used with can, etc to distinguish or discriminate

    he couldn't tell chalk from cheese

  9. intr to have or produce an impact, effect, or strain

    every step told on his bruised feet

  10. informal.
    intrsometimes foll byon to reveal secrets or gossip (about)

    don't tell!

    she told on him

  11. tr to assure

    I tell you, I've had enough!

  12. tr to count (votes)
  13. dialect.
    intr to talk or chatter
  14. informal.
    to tell the truth no matter how unpleasant it is
  15. tell the time
    to read the time from a clock
  16. you're telling me slang.
    I know that very well
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈtellable, adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of tell1

First recorded before 900; Middle English tellen, tel(le) “to speak, talk, say, mention,” Old English tellan “to tell, relate, count”; cognate with Dutch tellen “to reckon, count,” Old Norse telja “to count, number, say,” Old High German zellēn, German zählen “to count, number”; akin to tale

Origin of tell2

First recorded in 1860–65; from Arabic tall “hillock”
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Word History and Origins

Origin of tell1

C19: from Arabic tall

Origin of tell2

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

Idioms
  1. 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.

More idioms and phrases containing tell

  • 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
  • told
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Example Sentences

One of the topics I discussed was self-talk, which in the endurance world is basically the idea that telling yourself “You can do this!”

When confronted by PG&E investigators, Huggins told the investigators he had paid the $16,750 bill in cash, which he happened to have on hand in his house.

Her grandson later reached out to Botros to thank him personally — and told him that the woman called all of her friends and urged them to get their shots, too.

The agents were telling him that they could lock him up for the rest of his life.

I feel his silence gives her permission to be unkind and tells me that I don't matter to him.

As far as I can tell, this magazine spent as much time making fun of French politicians as it did of Muslims or Islam.

Police, their representatives and supporters tell us, ensure our freedom of speech through our ability to protest.

“Jeffrey wanted me to tell you that you looked so pretty,” the female voice said into my disbelieving ear.

They were going to tell their story, consequences be damned.

And I tell Ollie, just look at me, because they just pulled out the pistolas.

And to tell the truth, she couldn't help wishing he could see, so he could make the game livelier.

Ages back—let musty geologists tell us how long ago—'twas a lake, larger than the Lake of Geneva.

Each day she resolved, "To-morrow I will tell Felipe;" and when to-morrow came, she put it off again.

He wanted to tell her that if she called her father, it would mean the end of everything for them, but he withheld this.

Monsieur,” growls the baron, “stone walls have ears, you say if only they had tongues; what tales these could tell!

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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