Tell Definition and Meaning
By Tayyaba Rehman & Urooj Arif — Updated on March 5, 2024
"Tell" means to communicate information, facts, or news to someone in spoken or written words. e.g., She decided to tell her friend about the surprise party.
Table of Contents
Tell Definitions
Tell means to narrate or relate a story.
He loves to tell stories about his adventures.
Tell can describe instructing or ordering someone.
The teacher will tell the students what to do next.
Tell pertains to distinguishing or identifying.
You can tell the difference between the twins by their voices.
Tell is used for expressing or communicating verbally.
He couldn't wait to tell his parents the good news.
Tell can mean to count or enumerate.
Tell the money to make sure it's all there.
To communicate by speech or writing; express with words
She told him that the store was closed. Tell me the truth.
To give a detailed account of; narrate
Told what happened.
Told us a story.
To notify (someone) of something; inform
He told us of his dream to sail around the world.
To make known; disclose or reveal
Tell a secret.
Tell fortunes.
To inform (someone) positively; assure
I tell you, the plan will work.
To give instructions to; direct
Told the customers to wait in line.
To discover by observation; discern
We could tell that he was upset.
To name or number one by one; count
Telling one's blessings.
16 windows, all told.
To relate a story or give an account of an event
The sailor told of having been adrift for days.
To reveal something that is not supposed to be revealed, especially something that someone has done wrong
She promised not to tell on her friend.
To have an effect or impact
In this game every move tells.
An unintentional or unconsciously exhibited behavior that reveals or betrays one's state of mind, as when playing poker.
A mound, especially in the Middle East, made up of the remains of a succession of previous settlements.
To count, reckon, or enumerate.
All told, there were over a dozen.
Can you tell time on a clock?
He had untold wealth.
To narrate.
I want to tell a story;
I want to tell you a story.
To convey by speech; to say.
Finally, someone told him the truth.
He seems to like to tell lies.
(transitive) To instruct or inform.
Please tell me how to do it.
(transitive) To order; to direct, to say to someone.
Tell him to go away.
To discern, notice, identify or distinguish.
Can you tell whether those flowers are real or silk, from this distance?
No, there's no way to tell.
I can tell you're upset.
An expert can tell an original from a forgery.
(transitive) To reveal.
Time will tell what became of him.
(intransitive) To be revealed.
(intransitive) To have an effect, especially a noticeable one; to be apparent, to be demonstrated.
Sir Gerald was moving slower; his wounds were beginning to tell.
To use (beads or similar objects) as an aid to prayer.
To inform someone in authority about a wrongdoing.
I saw you steal those sweets! I'm telling!
To reveal information in prose through outright expository statement -- contrasted with show
Maria rewrote the section of her novel that talked about Meg and Sage's friendship to have less telling and more showing.
A reflexive, often habitual behavior, especially one occurring in a context that often features attempts at deception by persons under psychological stress (such as a poker game or police interrogation), that reveals information that the person exhibiting the behavior is attempting to withhold.
(archaic) That which is told; a tale or account.
(internet) A private message to an individual in a chat room; a whisper.
(archaeology) A hill or mound, originally and especially in the Middle East, over or consisting of the ruins of ancient settlements.
To mention one by one, or piece by piece; to recount; to enumerate; to reckon; to number; to count; as, to tell money.
He telleth the number of the stars.
Tell the joints of the body.
To utter or recite in detail; to give an account of; to narrate.
Of which I shall tell all the array.
And not a man appears to tell their fate.
To make known; to publish; to disclose; to divulge.
Why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?
To give instruction to; to make report to; to acquaint; to teach; to inform.
A secret pilgrimage,That you to-day promised to tell me of?
To order; to request; to command.
He told her not to be frightened.
To discern so as to report; to ascertain by observing; to find out; to discover; as, I can not tell where one color ends and the other begins.
To make account of; to regard; to reckon; to value; to estimate.
I ne told no dainity of her love.
To give an account; to make report.
That I may publish with the voice of thankgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.
To take effect; to produce a marked effect; as, every shot tells; every expression tells.
Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did David.
That which is told; tale; account.
I am at the end of my tell.
A hill or mound.
A Swiss patriot who lived in the early 14th century and who was renowned for his skill as an archer; according to legend an Austrian governor compelled him to shoot an apple from his son's head with his crossbow (which he did successfully without mishap)
Express in words;
He said that he wanted to marry her
Tell me what is bothering you
State your opinion
State your name
Let something be known;
Tell them that you will be late
Narrate or give a detailed account of;
Tell what happened
The father told a story to his child
Give instructions to or direct somebody to do something with authority;
I said to him to go home
She ordered him to do the shopping
The mother told the child to get dressed
Discern or comprehend;
He could tell that she was unhappy
Inform positively and with certainty and confidence;
I tell you that man is a crook!
Give evidence;
He was telling on all his former colleague
Mark as different;
We distinguish several kinds of maple
Tell refers to revealing or disclosing information.
She refused to tell the secret.
Tell describes revealing emotions or reactions.
Her facial expression could tell her disappointment.
Tell denotes informing on or reporting about someone.
She was afraid to tell on her classmate.
Tell involves predicting or foreseeing based on information.
It's hard to tell what the weather will be like tomorrow.
Tell can refer to making known or public.
The signs tell of upcoming construction.
Tell Snonyms
Reveal
To make (previously unknown or secret information) known to others.
The report revealed the full extent of the damage.
Disclose
To make (secret or new information) known.
He refused to disclose the source of his information.
Narrate
To give a spoken or written account of something.
She narrated the events of the evening with great detail.
Communicate
To share or exchange information, news, or ideas.
It's important to communicate clearly and effectively.
Announce
To make a formal public statement about a fact, occurrence, or intention.
They announced the winner of the competition on live TV.
Convey
To communicate a message or information.
His speech conveyed a sense of urgency.
Relate
To tell; give an account of (an event, circumstance, etc.).
She related the events of the past year to her family.
Inform
To give knowledge or information to someone.
Please inform me about any changes to the schedule.
Report
To give a spoken or written account of something that one has observed, heard, done, or investigated.
The journalist reported the news as it happened.
Declare
To make known formally or officially.
The government declared a state of emergency.
Tell Idioms & Phrases
Tell it like it is
To speak honestly and directly, often about unpleasant things.
She's known for telling it like it is, regardless of how harsh it may sound.
Tell tales
To gossip or spread rumors, often untrue or exaggerated.
Don't trust him; he's known to tell tales about his colleagues.
Tell the time
To be able to read a clock or watch.
Most children learn to tell the time by the age of six.
Tell a different story
To present an alternative or contrasting version of events.
The official report says one thing, but the eyewitnesses tell a different story.
You can't tell
It's impossible to know or predict.
You can't tell what the weather will be like in this region.
Live to tell the tale
To survive a dangerous or harrowing experience and be able to recount it.
After the shipwreck, he was lucky to live to tell the tale.
Actions speak louder than words
What someone does is more significant than what they say.
He always promises to help, but his actions speak louder than words.
Tell the truth
To speak honestly and provide accurate information.
It’s important to tell the truth during the investigation.
Tell on someone
To inform an authority figure about someone's misbehavior.
He was hesitant to tell on his friend for cheating on the test.
Tell no tales
To keep something secret; implying that someone who is absent or dead cannot reveal secrets.
He trusted her to keep his secrets; dead men tell no tales.
Tell your fortune
To predict someone's future, typically using methods like tarot cards or astrology.
The psychic at the fair claimed she could tell your fortune.
Tell by
To discern or understand something by observing a particular sign or clue.
You can tell by his expression that he's unhappy with the decision.
Tell apart
To distinguish between two or more items or people.
The twins are so identical, it's hard to tell them apart.
Time will tell
The outcome or truth of something will be revealed in the future.
Whether the new policy will be effective, only time will tell.
To tell the difference
To discern or distinguish between two or more things.
It's hard to tell the difference between real and imitation leather.
Tell a lie
To say something that is not true; to fib.
She could tell he was telling a lie by the way he avoided eye contact.
There's no telling
It’s impossible to know or predict.
There's no telling how he'll react to the news.
Tell me about it
An expression of agreement or shared experience, acknowledging what the other person is saying.
Work has been so stressful. Tell me about it, I've been swamped too.
Kiss and tell
To publicly reveal details about a romantic encounter or relationship.
He's not the type to kiss and tell about his dates.
Show and tell
An event, typically in a school setting, where children bring an item to show and talk about to the class.
For show and tell, he brought his grandfather's old compass and talked about its history.
Tell Example Sentences
I'll tell you a secret if you promise not to tell.
Can you tell me the time, please?
He could tell something was wrong.
The book will tell you how to cook the dish.
It's important to tell facts from opinions.
She wanted to tell a funny joke.
They will tell the history of the old castle.
Can you tell which one is the original painting?
The teacher asked us to tell our favorite hobbies.
He could tell she was upset by her quiet voice.
You can tell he's excited by the way he talks.
Let me tell you about my trip.
She learned to tell the truth in every situation.
I can't tell if he's joking or serious.
She promised not to tell anyone my secret.
Common Curiosities
How do we divide tell into syllables?
Since "tell" has only one syllable, it is not divided.
What is a stressed syllable in tell?
The entire word "tell" is the stressed syllable, as it consists of only one syllable.
How is tell used in a sentence?
"Please tell me the truth about what happened."
How many syllables are in tell?
There is one syllable in "tell."
What is the pronunciation of tell?
Tell is pronounced as /tɛl/.
Why is it called tell?
"Tell" comes from the Old English word "tellan," meaning to reckon, calculate, consider, or account, which evolved into the current meaning of communicating information or facts.
What is the verb form of tell?
The verb form is "tell."
What is the first form of tell?
The first form (present tense) is "tell."
What is the singular form of tell?
As a verb, "tell" remains the same in both singular and plural subjects.
What is the opposite of tell?
The opposite of "tell" could be "conceal" or "withhold."
Is tell an abstract noun?
"Tell" is a verb and not a noun.
What is the root word of tell?
The root word is the Old English "tellan."
Is the word “tell” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
"Tell" can take both direct and indirect objects, e.g., "Tell me (indirect object) the story (direct object)."
What is the second form of tell?
The second form (simple past tense) is "told."
What is the third form of tell?
The third form (past participle) is "told."
What part of speech is tell?
"Tell" is a verb.
What is another term for tell?
Another term for "tell" could be "inform" or "communicate."
What is the plural form of tell?
As a verb, "tell" does not change form for plural subjects.
Is tell a negative or positive word?
"Tell" is neutral; its connotation depends on the context in which it is used.
Is the tell term a metaphor?
"Tell" can be used metaphorically in various contexts, implying more than just the act of communicating information.
Is the word tell imperative?
"Tell" can be used in the imperative form to give a command or request, e.g., "Tell me your name."
Which determiner is used with tell?
Determiners are not typically used directly with verbs like "tell."
Which conjunction is used with tell?
Conjunctions such as "and," "but," or "or" can be used with "tell" in compound sentences.
Is tell a noun or adjective?
"Tell" is a verb.
Is the word tell Gerund?
The gerund form of "tell" is "telling," which functions as a noun.
Which vowel is used before tell?
Articles or vowels before verbs like "tell" depend on the sentence structure, not the verb itself. For gerund or infinitive forms, "to tell" or "telling," an article might precede.
Is tell an adverb?
No, "tell" is not an adverb.
Is tell a vowel or consonant?
The word "tell" starts with the consonant "t."
Is tell a countable noun?
"Tell" is not a noun; it's a verb and therefore not countable.
Is tell a collective noun?
No, "tell" is not a noun and therefore cannot be a collective noun.
Which preposition is used with tell?
Prepositions like "to," "about," or "on" can be used with "tell," depending on the context, e.g., "tell to someone," "tell about something," or "tell on someone."
Which article is used with tell?
Articles are not typically used directly with verbs like "tell." However, in the gerund form "telling," "the" can be used, e.g., "The telling of tales is an ancient tradition."
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
