taletale /teɪl/ ●●● W3 noun [countable] 
tales of adventure a book of old Japanese folk tales (=traditional stories) a fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen a cautionary tale (=one that is told to warn people about the dangers of something)► see thesaurus at story2a description of interesting or exciting things that happened to someone, often one which is not completely true about every detailtale of/about tales of her life in post-war Berlintale of/about how He was in the middle of telling me a long tale about how he once met Bob Dylan.3tell tales British English to tell someone in authority about something wrong that someone else has done SYN tattle American Englishtale to Don’t go telling tales to the teacher!4tale of woe a)a description of events that made you unhappy b)a series of bad things that happened to someone: The England team’s tale of woe continued, and they lost the next three games. → fairy tale, → old wives’ tale at old(24)COLLOCATIONS– Meanings 1 & 2ADJECTIVES/NOUN + talea fairy tale· It looked like a castle in a fairy tale.a folk tale (=a traditional story)· a book of Scottish folk talesa cautionary tale (=one that is told to warn someone about the dangers of something)· This cautionary tale illustrates the dangers of looking for quick profits.a tall tale (=one that is difficult to believe and unlikely to be true)· She enjoyed making up tall tales to tell the children.verbstell a tale· He liked telling tales of his adventures in the wilderness.
WORD ORIGINtale
Origin:
Old English taluEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- 'Treasure Island' - a tale of pirates and adventure
- Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales
- She told us many tales about when our father was a child.
- Aline's insight underlined my conviction on holiday that this was one tale not for retelling.
- All the same, signalmen can be a fund of unexpected tales and it is always interesting to hear their stories.
- But as James' tale develops, it assumes complexity.
- But her unbalanced monologues feel a bit artificial, her present tragedy less gripping than her tale of the past.
- During breaks, the group tells presentation disaster tales.
- Her story received enormous media coverage, perhaps because many people were fascinated with this incredible tale of political transformations.
- In other words, the critical key to James's tales is provided by the tales themselves.
THESAURUS
a description of how something happened that is intended to entertain people, and may be true or imaginary: · a ghost story· a love story· It’s a story about a man who loses his memory.· a book of short stories
a story about strange imaginary events, or exciting events that happened in the past: · a fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen· I loved hearing tales of his travels.
noun [countable, uncountable] a very old imaginary story about gods and magical creatures: · an ancient myth· Greek and Roman myths
noun [countable, uncountable] an old story about brave people or magical events that are probably not true: · popular legends of the creation of the world· According to legend, King Arthur was buried there.
a traditional imaginary short story that teaches a moral lesson, especially a story about animals: · the fable of the tortoise and the hare· a Chinese fable
a story told in a long book, film, or poem which is about great or exciting events, especially in history: · an epic about 13th-century Scottish hero William Wallace
a story about a series of events that take place over a long period of time, especially events involving one family: · a family saga beginning in the 1880s
informal a long exciting story that is not completely true: · The movie’s a rattling good yarn and full of action.
Longman Language Activatorsomething that someone believes that is definitely not true a belief or idea that is false, especially a belief in something good about yourself or about the situation you are in: · She thought he loved her but it was just an illusion.· Alcohol gives some people the illusion of being witty and confident.illusion that: · There seems to be a widespread illusion that there are no class barriers anymore.under an illusion: · People had bought these houses under the illusion that their value would just keep on rising.
something that a lot of people believe but which is completely untrue: · The idea that a good night's sleep will cure everything is a complete fallacy.· It's a fallacy that all fat people are fat simply because they eat too much.
something a lot of people believe because they want to believe it, not because it is based on fact: · The first myth about motherhood is that new mothers instantly fall in love with their babies.· It is a myth that battered women deserve or want to be beaten.
a completely mistaken idea about yourself or the situation you are in, especially one that everyone else knows is wrong: · She now had to finally forget the dreams and delusions of her youthunder a delusion: · I was still under the delusion that everyone was trying to cheat me.
a belief you have that is wrong, although you do not realize it is wrong at the time when you have it: · When I started as a teacher I had the mistaken belief that all kids are interested in learning.
something that is not true but which people believe because they do not have all the facts or they have not properly understood the situation: · No, it's not actually true that rail travel is more expensive - that's a misconception.misconception that: · Employers seem to share the general misconception that young people are more efficient than older workers.
a popular belief or piece of advice that has existed for a long time but which you think is stupid: · It's not true that if trees have a lot of fruit in the autumn it will be a cold winter - that's just an old wives' tale.
a story a description of real or imaginary events, which is told or written to entertain people: · All children love stories.· The film was OK, but I didn't think the story was very realistic.· a book of short storiestell/read somebody a story: · Sally, will you read us a story?story about: · Grandpa's always telling us stories about when he was a boystory of: · The movie tells the story of a young girl brought up in the Deep South in the 1930s.ghost/love story: · We sat around the fire telling ghost stories.fairy story (=a story about imaginary people, creatures, and events): · He looked like some giant from a fairy story.true story (=about events that really happened): · The film is based on a true story.
an exciting story about imaginary events: tale of: · 'Treasure Island' - a tale of pirates and adventuretell a tale: · She told us many tales about when our father was a child.fairy tale (=a story about imaginary creatures, people, and events): · Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales
writing that describes imaginary people and events: · So much modern fiction is full of sex and violence.work of fiction: · Although it is a work of fiction, it is based on fact.crime/romantic/historical etc fiction: · Adopting the style of romantic fiction, she said, ''I love him passionately''.science fiction (=stories about imaginary future times): · a science fiction novel
a very old story, about gods and magical creatures: · The myth tells of how the gods sent fire to the earth in flashes of lightning.· a ballet based on a Greek myth· The heroes of myth all had some point of weakness.
an old story, usually about strange events or people with magic powers: · According to legend, the whole castle was washed into the sea.legend of: · the legend of Robin Hoodlegend has it (that) (=according to legend): · Legend has it that Sarah Heln, who died in 1913, was shut alive inside a lead coffin.
a short funny story about something that really happened: · Personal anecdotes have no place in an academic essay.anecdote about: · The book is full of amusing anecdotes about his time in the police force.
a story about a series of connected events or adventures that take place over a long period of time, especially events involving one family: · The novel is a historical saga, set in Tudor times.saga of: · Her saga of the rise and fall of a powerful family dynasty was a great commercial success.
a story told in a long book, film, or poem which is about great or exciting events, especially in history: · The film was billed as an epic -- an adventure story that would take the world and the box-office by storm.· The history of a single event has been spun out to fill a 255 page epic. epic poem/hero/style etc: · the epic poem "Beowulf'
an untrue story or explanation an untrue story or explanation that you use as an excuse or to impress someone: give somebody some story: · She gave me some story about Mark being an old friend.tall tale/story: · It's the sort of tall tale about how good they are with women that guys tell in bars.cock-and-bull story especially British: · He gave me a cock-and-bull story about the glass being smashed in the storm, but it looked to me like the two of them had had a fight.
an untrue story or piece of information that someone has deliberately invented: · It can sometimes be difficult to tell fact from fiction.pure fiction (=completely untrue and invented): · The president denied that he was ill, labelling the report "pure fiction."
an untrue story or piece of information that someone has deliberately invented in order to deceive people: · Everything that was written about me in that article was a fabrication.total/pure/complete fabrication: · The defense said that the victim's story was a total fabrication designed to get revenge.
WORD SETSabominable snowman, nounapparition, nounbogey, nounbogeyman, nounboogeyman, nounchangeling, noundivine, verbdjinn, noundoppelganger, noundowse, verbdowser, noundowsing rod, noundragon, noundryad, noundwarf, nounEaster Bunny, nounelf, nounelixir, nounfairy, nounfairy godmother, nounfairyland, nounfairy tale, nounFather Christmas, nounfolk, adjectivefolk hero, noungenie, nounghost, noungiant, noungiantess, noungnome, noungoblin, noungremlin, nounhobgoblin, nounimp, nounleprechaun, nounleviathan, nounley, nounlore, nounmagic carpet, nounmermaid, nounmonster, nounnecromancy, nounnever-never land, nounnymph, nounogre, nounphiltre, nounpixie, nounsandman, nounSanta Claus, nounspectre, nounsprite, nounstardust, nounsuperstition, nounsuperstitious, adjectivesylph, nountale, nountotem, nountroll, noununicorn, nounurban myth, nounvampire, nounwerewolf, nounwishing well, nounyeti, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY Meanings 1 & 2ADJECTIVES/NOUN + tale
· It looked like a castle in a fairy tale.
(=a traditional story)· a book of Scottish folk tales
(=one that is told to warn someone about the dangers of something)· This cautionary tale illustrates the dangers of looking for quick profits.
(=one that is difficult to believe and unlikely to be true)· She enjoyed making up tall tales to tell the children.
verbs· He liked telling tales of his adventures in the wilderness.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES (=the story of an event that is used to warn people) a cautionary tale about how not to buy a computer
a cautionary tale about how not to buy a computer (=signs that clearly show something bad)· She would not look at me directly, a tell-tale sign that she was embarrassed.
· He then told the story of how he was injured while riding his motorcycle.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE· Thank you for your cautionary tale Richard.· That is why she offers a cautionary tale about the parent traps facing all women.· I suspect it was a cautionary tale.· Tootle seems to be essentially a cautionary tale, warning the child to stay on the narrow road of virtue.· Other revelations serve as cautionary tales about the importance of subordinating military officials to civilian authority.· As a cautionary tale this book works very well.· It is a cautionary tale told with sad humour on the border between innocence and togetherness.· But Louima's case was the cautionary tale.
· Snow White is a classic tale, one that conjures up wonderful images of mythical creatures.· He was the changeling of the classic tale, thrust on good people, who was to repay good with evil.
· But myths, folk tales, legends and, yes, religious stories are different.· An ancient folk tale, it became the source of a number of legends and literary adaptations.· Twilight Tales is a collection of spooky legends and folk tales passed through generations in the Southwest.
· I think it's an old wives' tale that make-up ruins the skin.· An old tale tells of a holy priest who visited his nephew, a scurrilous tavern-keeper.· The old wives' tales that have answered the pleas of fathers for centuries are mostly ineffective.· But, as in so many old tales, the warriors get a fresh chance to strut their stuff.· Whatever doctors, old wives' tales, and the Roman Catholic Church may say, human ovulation is invisible and unpredictable.· Old men retold old tales once again.· I think every guy who can scribble slightly better than he dribbles has felt compelled to share the same old tale.
· It depicts the sad tale of a lavatory attendant, Jim, who reads newspapers to seek a new career.· She confessed to cleaning his house, and also told her own sad tale.· It was no longer believed to be a sad tale of the power of fortune to undermine love.· A sad tale about a man who died at the age of 103 because no one would give him any money.· A sad little tale it sounded, a trivial matter to consign a soul to perpetual separation.
· He wowed his colleagues after hours with tall tales.· No Baron Munchausen would have dared to imprison his saga within the limits of a tall tale.· And yet all his life, his integrity warred with a flair for the theatrical, a fondness for tall tales.
NOUN· The problem is that, as with any morality tale, this is a very partial truth.· No wonder we prefer the simplicity of morality tales with comforting villains.· Arthurian legends or the morality tales of life under capitalism were not enough.
VERB· I heard tales, let me see, about a second child having visions, of a somewhat different sort?· But I have to hear the whole tale.· We used to hear tales that some of the singers could be difficult.· Edward believed it when he heard the tale.· She'd heard sickening tales of barbarous Gestapo torture, and of prisoners who were never seen again.· She'd heard the stories - everybody had heard the tale about Jenny being abandoned here as a baby.· Don't want to hear no tales told about you from them nice nurses.· I've heard some pretty grim tales from people who've let property complete with furnishings to strangers.
· I listened to many tales of powerlessness, of personal degradation, hopelessness and unhappiness.· I listened to their tales of spiritual enlightenment, past lives, cosmic futures.· You must listen to their interminable tales of marital woe.· And he in turn makes it the experience of those who are listening to his tale.· His morose ruminations were interrupted by Benny Katz, who wanted anyone he could find to listen to his tale of woe.· The therapist listened to her tale of being afraid to ask anyone for money.· In fact, these were the kind of difficulties about which they used to chuckle when listening to tales from Windowswedded acquaintances.
· Several read both tales as moral dramas in which human sin is revealed, judged and punished.· May we never read such a tale of horror in our newspapers.· Some of his exploits read like folk tales.· Second, to actually read the tales aloud from a book would take half an hour each evening.· I had read Eothen and other tales of Eastern travel and my imagination endowed Constantinople with all the magic of the East.
· Certainly, he seemed strangely quiet and bemused as he recounted the extraordinary tale.· They saw a sometimes remorseful, if inarticulate and profane, Davis recount his now-familiar tale of killing 12-year-old Polly.· So far he hasn't had too many problems but doubtless he could recount some interesting tales!· I spend a lot of time recounting tales of woe from friends and readers, but this one is my own.
· But Riva still spins her tales, for Rainbow's ears alone.
· Bigger waves undoubtedly occur, but those who witness them do not return to tell the tale.· I did not propose to tell them any tales about the Ku Klux Klan.· Then I told about the tales the neighbours were telling about her Mum and her men friends.· It is a prettily told tale, after the manner of Ovid.· You told me tales and adventures.· Another famous senator who switched and survived politically to tell the tale is Phil Gramm of Texas.· But it takes a mighty age to tell its tale and dives head-first into the soap suds along the way.· What could have led the President to tell such tales?
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRYPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
1a story about exciting imaginary eventstale of- "Mum, Daniel's broken a plate." "Don't tell tales, dear."
- According to the children, telling tales on each other was as bad as cheating.
- Daisy Venables, you naughty girl, have you been telling tales again?
- Edwin was long on charm but short on substance, was the feeling; he told tales a bit too deftly.
- I don't want to tell tales out of school.
- Nearly anyone who had been in an iron lung could tell tales of being stranded without breathing help.
- No child should be put in the powerful position of having to tell tales on another child.
- No one to tell tales, then.
- Of course, Albee is quite accustomed to telling tales about vicious people stuck in broken relationships.
- He bore a tale of woe from the Old World.
- His morose ruminations were interrupted by Benny Katz, who wanted anyone he could find to listen to his tale of woe.
- I spend a lot of time recounting tales of woe from friends and readers, but this one is my own.
- Their musical tales of woe and spiritual import were needed more than ever.
- It's not true that if trees have a lot of fruit in the autumn it will be a cold winter - that's just an old wives' tale.
- And so the old wives' tale continues.
- I think it's an old wives' tale that make-up ruins the skin.
- Some dismiss these as myth in the sense of old wives' tales.
- That's only an old wives' tale.
- The old wives' tales that have answered the pleas of fathers for centuries are mostly ineffective.
- Whatever doctors, old wives' tales, and the Roman Catholic Church may say, human ovulation is invisible and unpredictable.
- He could spin a yarn, and you had to take what he said with a pinch of salt.
- Joe was in top form, spinning stories, issuing pronunciamentos, dropping withering quips at every opportunity.
- She liked to spin yarn, sing, and dance.
- And yet all his life, his integrity warred with a flair for the theatrical, a fondness for tall tales.
- But there's still time to remember tall stories from previous superintendents.
- He wowed his colleagues after hours with tall tales.
- Horden's design blended innovation and massing A tall story or a tourdeforce?
- No Baron Munchausen would have dared to imprison his saga within the limits of a tall tale.
- With his feeling for tall stories he's a radio natural, though.
- As soon as she entered the room she knew that Clare had already been telling tales; or at least complaining to her colleagues.
- Edwin was long on charm but short on substance, was the feeling; he told tales a bit too deftly.
- I don't want to tell tales out of school.
- Nearly anyone who had been in an iron lung could tell tales of being stranded without breathing help.
- No child should be put in the powerful position of having to tell tales on another child.
- No one to tell tales, then.
- Of course, Albee is quite accustomed to telling tales about vicious people stuck in broken relationships.
tales of adventure a book of old Japanese folk tales (=traditional stories) a fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen a cautionary tale (=one that is told to warn people about the dangers of something)► see thesaurus at story2a description of interesting or exciting things that happened to someone, often one which is not completely true about every detailtale of/about tales of her life in post-war Berlintale of/about how He was in the middle of telling me a long tale about how he once met Bob Dylan.3tell tales British English to tell someone in authority about something wrong that someone else has done SYN tattle American Englishtale to Don’t go telling tales to the teacher!4tale of woe a)a description of events that made you unhappy b)a series of bad things that happened to someone: The England team’s tale of woe continued, and they lost the next three games. → fairy tale, → old wives’ tale at old(24)COLLOCATIONS– Meanings 1 & 2ADJECTIVES/NOUN + talea fairy tale· It looked like a castle in a fairy tale.a folk tale (=a traditional story)· a book of Scottish folk talesa cautionary tale (=one that is told to warn someone about the dangers of something)· This cautionary tale illustrates the dangers of looking for quick profits.a tall tale (=one that is difficult to believe and unlikely to be true)· She enjoyed making up tall tales to tell the children.verbstell a tale· He liked telling tales of his adventures in the wilderness.- selfie
- self-image
- self-importance
- self-important
- self-importantly
- self-imposed
- self-improvement
- self-indulgence
- self-indulgent
- self-indulgently
- self-inflicted
- self-interest
- self-interested
- selfish
- selfishly
- selfishness
- self-knowledge
- selfless
- selflessly
- selflessness
- self-made
- self-opinionated
- self-pity
- self-pitying
- self-portrait