tell1

Pronunciation: /tɛl/

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Definition of tell

verb (past and past participle told /təʊld/)

1 [reporting verb] communicate information to someone in spoken or written words: [with object and clause]:I told her you were coming [with object and direct speech]:‘We have nothing in common,’ she told him [with object]:he’s telling the truth [with two objects]:we must be told the facts
[with object and infinitive] order or advise someone to do something:tell him to go away
[with object] relate (a story): he tried to make the children laugh by telling jokes [with two objects]:tell me the story again
[with object] reveal (information) to someone in a non-verbal way:the figures tell a different story [with two objects]:the smile on her face told him everything
[no object] divulge confidential or private information:promise you won’t tell
[no object] (tell on) informal inform someone of the misdemeanours of:friends don’t tell on each other

2 [with clause] decide or determine correctly or with certainty:you can tell they’re in love I couldn’t tell if he believed me
[with object and adverbial] perceive (the difference between one person or thing and another):I can’t tell the difference between margarine and butter

3 [no object] (of an experience or period of time) have a noticeable, typically harmful, effect on someone:the strain of supporting the family was beginning to tell on him
(of a particular factor) play a part in the success or otherwise of someone or something:lack of fitness told against him on his first run of the season

4 archaic count (the members of a group):the shepherd had told all his sheep

noun

(especially in poker) an unconscious action that is thought to betray an attempted deception.

Phrases

as far as one can tell: judging from the available information: the work will take about six weeks, as far as I can tell
I tell you (or I can tell you): used to emphasize a statement:that took me by surprise, I can tell you!
I (or I'll) tell you what: used to introduce a suggestion:I tell you what, why don’t we meet for lunch tomorrow?
I told you (so): used to point out that one’s warnings, although ignored, have been proved to be well founded.
tell one's beads: see bead.
tell someone's fortune: see fortune.
tell it like it is: informal describe the true facts of a situation no matter how unpleasant they may be.
tell its own tale (or story): be significant or revealing, without any further explanation being necessary:the worried expression on Helen’s face told its own tale
tell me about it: informal used as an ironic acknowledgement of one’s familiarity with an unpleasant situation or experience described by someone else.
tell me another: informal used as an expression of incredulity.
tell something a mile off: see mile.
tell that to the marines: see marine.
tell the time (or North American tell time): be able to ascertain the time from reading the face of a clock or watch.
tell someone where to get off (or where they get off): informal angrily dismiss or rebuke someone.
tell someone where to put (or what to do with) something: informal angrily reject something:I told him what he could do with his diamond
that would be telling: informal used to convey that one is not prepared to divulge confidential information.
there is no telling: used to convey the impossibility of knowing what has happened or will happen:there’s no telling how she will react
to tell (you) the truth: see truth.
you're telling me: informal used to emphasize that one is already well aware of or in complete agreement with something: ‘That was bad luck.’ ‘You’re telling me!’

Phrasal Verbs

tell someone off

Derivatives

tellable

Origin:

Old English tellan 'relate, count, estimate', of Germanic origin; related to German zählen 'reckon, count', erzählen 'recount, relate', also to tale

tell in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of tell in the US English dictionary

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tell1

verb (past and past participle told /təʊld/)

noun

Phrases

as far as one can tell

I tell you (or I can tell you)

I (or I'll) tell you what

I told you (so)

tell one's beads

tell someone's fortune

tell it like it is

tell its own tale (or story)

tell me about it

tell me another

tell something a mile off

tell that to the marines

tell the time (or North American tell time)

tell someone where to get off (or where they get off)

tell someone where to put (or what to do with) something

that would be telling

there is no telling

to tell (you) the truth

you're telling me

Phrasal Verbs

tell someone off

Derivatives

tellable

Origin:

tell in other Oxford dictionaries

Nearby words

More results for tell

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