tell tales

Idioms and Phrases

Divulge secrets, as in Don't trust him; he's apt to tell tales . This expression was first recorded about 1350. A variant, tell tales out of school , first recorded in 1530, presumably alluded to schoolchildren gossiping but was soon broadened to revealing secret or private information. Both may be obsolescent.

Example Sentences

Pool was beloved by readers for his empathy, humor and wit, and his ability to tell tales about Los Angeles that made the metropolis feel like a small town.

From Los Angeles Times

As was the case with Celsius, a crypto exchange that went bust in 2022, the FTX customer statements tell tales of grievous loss and emotional torment.

From Los Angeles Times

Hughes’s spirited verses and Brown’s whimsical illustrations together would tell tales about a hungry parrot, mournful cow and other creatures that express in simple verse a range of feelings from unhappiness and remorse to bliss and confidence.

From New York Times

‘Don’t Tell My Mother’ at Dynasty Typewriter Heather Dubrow from “The Real Housewives of Orange County,” “One Day at a Time’s” Isabella Gomez and others tell tales guaranteed to make your mama blush in a new installment of this saucy, queer-friendly storytelling series hosted by Nikki Levy.

From Los Angeles Times

“We create stories and tell tales. … I’m sorry if anyone believed that the stories were fact.”

From Washington Post

Related Words

• blab