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

The battle for the position has been a “knife-fight,” an anonymous source told The Times.

From Salon

Speaking at the Sheffield Documentary Festival earlier this year, he told BBC News it was an important journey to go on because the risks of ignoring your emotions are far scarier.

From BBC

A man in Tanzania's biggest city, Dar es Salaam, has told the BBC he is waiting to hear news of his mother, who remains trapped two days after a building collapsed.

From BBC

Downing Street said Sir Keir told President Xi he wanted to engage “honestly and frankly” on areas of disagreement – including Hong Kong, human rights and Russia’s war on Ukraine.

From BBC

His lawyer told CBS that Hegseth paid a confidential financial settlement as he feared he would be sacked from his job at the news network.

From BBC

Related Words

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