tell-alln.adj.
/ˈtɛlɔːl/, U.S. /ˈtɛlˌɔl/, /ˈtɛlˌɑl/ A. n.
1. A person who tells everything; a telltale.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > secrecy, concealment > [noun] > discloser of secret
telltale1595
pimp1791
tell-all1835
leaker1969
society > communication > manifestation > disclosure or revelation > [noun] > a disclosure > revelatory account
tell-all1835
1835 H. Walpole Inquisitor iii. ii. 467 He was a coward, a sneak, a tell-all when in trouble.
1964 Newsweek 3 Feb. 49/1 Even for theater folk—who tend to reveal themselves like compulsive tell-alls—the play was a startling dissection of the man's soul and marrow.
2009 C. J. Jeep Man Plan p. xvii She loved sex, but got bored quickly. She was a tell-all too.
2. Originally U.S. A book, account, etc., in which everything is revealed; an exposé.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > statement > [noun] > a statement or declaration > of facts or particulars
exposition1388
reckoningc1390
prepositiona1513
factum1648
exposé1715
statement1750
exposal1885
tell-all1940
position statement1960
1940 C. Lee Almanac of Reading 77 Three excellent tell-alls are Edna Ferber's A Peculiar Treasure, Katherine Brush's This Is on Me, and Somerset Maugham's The Summing Up.
1970 Libr. Jrnl. 15 Nov. 3907/3 Neither a travelogue nor a ‘tell all’ about Norwegian manners and customs, this account of one man's journeys through this scenic country has some charm and considerable information.
1993 TV Week (Melbourne) 11 Dec. 23/3 The tabloid tell-alls published..about Joan Collins' so-called ‘private life’.
2011 Wall St. Jrnl. 26 Feb. a12/2 It's a juicy tell-all about sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll.
B. adj. (attributive).
Originally U.S. That tells everything; displaying or characterized by complete candour; esp. (of a book, account, etc.) in which (typically sensational) secret or confidential details are disclosed; cf. tell v. 11a(a).
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > manifestation > disclosure or revelation > [adjective] > secrets
labbing1402
unsecreta1586
blabbish1604
blabbinga1616
leaky1692
loose-tongued1883
blab-mouthed1913
tell-all1930
society > communication > manifestation > disclosure or revelation > [adjective] > that reveals everything
tell-all1930
full-frontal1971
1930 Plain Talk Aug. 203/2 Some writers who had been hesitating about bringing out the family skeleton for public entertainment..on seeing the ‘tell-all’ articles by their friends, became eager to write their piece and take our American gold.
1946 Pop. Mech. Feb. (advt.) 198/1 Write today for ‘tell-all’ booklet entitled ‘Opportunities in Floor Surfacing’.
1974 National Geographic Dec. 851/2 A tell-all historian of the time reported that the prince loved to drink and was notably fond of women.
2013 Daily Tel. 20 Sept. 1/2 A tell-all book about his time in Downing Street that is expected to embarrass Ed Miliband and senior members of the Labour front bench.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2015; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
n.adj.1835