tales

[teylz, tey-leez]

noun

Law.

1. (used with a plural verb),  persons chosen to serve on the jury when the original panel is insufficiently large: originally selected from among those present in court.

2. (used with a singular verb),  the order or writ summoning such jurors.

tales

/ ˈteɪliːz /

noun

1. (functioning as plural) a group of persons summoned from among those present in court or from bystanders to fill vacancies on a jury panel

2. (functioning as singular) the writ summoning such jurors

Other Word Forms

• talesman noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of tales¹

1300–50; Middle English < Medieval Latin tālēs ( dē circumstantibus ) such (of the bystanders)

Word History and Origins

Origin of tales¹

C15: from Medieval Latin phrase tālēs dē circumstantibus such men from among the bystanders, from Latin tālis such

Related Words

• account 
• anecdote 
• fable 
• fiction 
• legend 
• myth 
• narrative 
• novel 
• short story 
• yarn