tell Hear it!

tell1 definition

tell (tel)

transitive verb told, telling tell′·ing

  1. to enumerate; count; reckon to tell time
  2. to give an account of (a story, etc.) in speech or writing
  3. to express in words; utter; say to tell the truth
  4. to report; announce; publish
  5. to reveal; disclose; make known a smile that told her joy
  6. to recognize; distinguish; discriminate unable to tell one from the other
  7. to decide; know one can't tell what will happen
  8. to let know; inform; acquaint tell me about the game
  9. to request; direct; order; command tell him to leave
  10. to state emphatically to it's there, I tell you

Etymology: ME tellen < OE tellan, lit., to calculate, reckon < Gmc *taljan > Ger zahl, number: see tale

intransitive verb

  1. to give an account or description (of something)
  2. to give evidence or be an indication (of something)
  3. to carry tales; reveal secrets to kiss and tell
  4. to produce a result; be effective; have a marked effect efforts that are beginning to tell
tell Idioms

do tell!

☆
Informal is that a fact?: often used sarcastically

tell off

  1. to count (persons, etc.) and separate them from the total number
  2. Informal to rebuke severely

tell on

  1. to have a marked, usually adverse, effect on
  2. Informal to inform against or gossip about
tell2 definition

tell (tel)

noun

Archaeol. esp. in the Middle East, a large mound or hill, built up gradually, covering the successive remains of ancient communities

Etymology: Ar tall, a mound

Tell definition

Tell (tel)

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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origin of "to share" = "to say, or tell"117 years ago

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