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).
2. 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

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

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

Derived Forms

• ˈtellable, adjective

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”

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

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

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!”

From Outside Online

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.

From ProPublica

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.

From Washington Post

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

From ProPublica

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

From Washington Post

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

From The Daily Beast

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

From The Daily Beast

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

From The Daily Beast

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

From The Daily Beast

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

From The Daily Beast

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

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• advise
• announce
• confess
• declare
• disclose
• explain
• express
• inform
• instruct
• mention
• notify
• order
• report
• reveal
• say
• speak
• state
• summon