tellin

American  

[tel-in] / ˈtɛl ɪn /

noun

1. any marine bivalve mollusk of the genus Tellina, having a thin, rounded shell of white, yellow, pink, or purple.

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tellin British  

/ ˈtɛlɪn /

noun

1. any of various slim marine bivalve molluscs of the genus Tellina (or Macoma ) that live in intertidal sand, esp the smooth oval delicately tinted T. tenuis

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Etymology

Origin of tellin

1895–1900; < New Latin Tellina name of the genus < Greek tellī́nē a shellfish

Example Sentences

But if you aint seen what we seen maybe you ought not to be so quick about tellin us what we’re supposed to think about it.

From New York Times • Oct. 14, 2022

Andre 3000 had previously rhymed in Outkast’s song ‘‘Get up, Get Out,’’ ‘‘Y’all tellin me that I need to get out and vote, huh.

From Salon • Apr. 10, 2015

"They did so love firelight and Free-dom, and tellin," says one of the narrators, and the proof is on every page.

From Time Magazine Archive

“You peoples in plenty trouble. A po-lice already lookin for that freak. He come in the Night of Joy one night, star tellin this Darlene gal about a bus.”

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole

“Yeah. She all the time slippin me somethin to read, tellin me I be improvin myself. She pretty decent.”

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole