tell

noun

1
a sign; a behavioural clue that reaveals something you are trying to hide
Blinking was a sure tell that she was nervous.
Submitted by:
Boris Marchenko from Russian Federation on 30/06/2015
Open Dictionary - June2015

tell

noun

1
a sign; a behavioural clue that reaveals something you are trying to hide
Blinking was a sure tell that she was nervous.
Submitted by:
Boris Marchenko from Russian Federation on 30/06/2015
Open Dictionary - June2015

tell

verb

UK /tel/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	tell
he/she/it	tells
present participle	telling
past tense	told
past participle	told

1
transitive to give information to someone
If you see anything suspicious, tell the police.
tell someone (that):
Didn’t he tell you that I wanted to see you?
The passengers were told their flight was about to depart.
tell someone who/what/why/how etc:
Just tell me what she said.
Were you told when she would be arriving?
tell someone something:
He finally told me the reason why he was so upset.
tell someone (something) about something:
‘Tell me about your day,’ she said.
I haven’t been told anything about it.
tell the truth/a lie:
I promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
He tells some absolute whoppers (=big lies) sometimes.
Synonyms and related words
To tell someone something, or to give information
tell
deliver
report
1. 1a
  if you tell a story or a joke, you give someone a spoken account of it
  Grandpa tells wonderful stories about the old days.
  tell someone something:
  Shall I tell you a joke?
  Synonyms and related words
  To tell a joke or jokes
  joke
  tell
  quip
2. 1b
  if something such as a fact, event, or piece of equipment tells you something, it gives or shows you some information
  The facts themselves don’t tell us much.
  Her look of surprise told him that he had guessed right.
  The flashing light tells you when the battery needs recharging.
  What does this room tell you about the person who lived here?
  tell its own story/tale (=give all the information that you need):
  His troubled face told its own story.
  Synonyms and related words
  To tell someone something, or to give information
  tell
  deliver
  report
2
transitive to order or strongly advise someone to do something
I’m not asking you – I’m telling you!
tell someone to do something:
I told you to be here on time this morning.
tell someone what/how/when etc:
I told him what to do, but he wouldn’t listen.
You will be told where to sit.
do as/what you’re told:
Do as you’re told this minute!
Synonyms and related words
To tell people what to do
order
order around
tell
3
intransitive/transitive never progressiveto recognize something as a result of knowledge, experience, or evidence
He’s lying. I can always tell.
tell (that):
Peter could tell that she was bored.
tell who/what/whether etc:
It’s never easy to tell whether he’s being serious or not.
Synonyms and related words
To notice or recognize something or someone
notice
recognize
observe
1. 3a
  to recognize the difference between one person or thing and another
  Which is which? I can’t tell.
  tell something/someone from something/someone:
  Can you tell butter from margarine?
  They’re so alike I can never tell one from the other.
  tell the difference (between):
  These days it’s hard to tell the difference between political parties.
  Synonyms and related words
  To notice or recognize something or someone
  notice
  recognize
  observe
4
intransitive to have an effect that can be clearly seen, especially a bad effect
tell on:
These endless business trips are telling on his marriage.
begin/start to tell:
The strain of the last few days was beginning to tell.
Synonyms and related words
To have an effect
shape
impact
affect
5
intransitive informalto not keep a secret
You promised you wouldn’t tell.
Synonyms and related words
To tell or reveal a secret or secrets
reveal
tell
let on
6
intransitive to inform someone about something bad that someone else has done
tell on:
She threatened to tell on me.
Synonyms and related words
To tell or reveal a secret or secrets
reveal
tell
let on

phrases

all told

I can tell you

I can’t tell you how/what

I couldn’t tell you

I told you (so)

I’ll tell you something/one thing/another thing

(I’ll) tell you what

something tells me (that)

tell it like it is

tell me

tell me about it

tell me another (one)

someone tells me (that)

tell tales

tell the time

tell someone where to go

tell yourself (that)

that would be telling

to tell (you) the truth

what did I tell you?

you never can tell

you’re telling me

phrasal verbs

tell against

tell apart

tell of

tell off

tell

verb

US /tel/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	tell
he/she/it	tells
present participle	telling
past tense	told
past participle	told

1
transitive to give information to someone
If you see anything suspicious, tell the police.
“I’d like to help too,” he told me.
tell someone (that):
Didn’t he tell you that I wanted to see you?
The passengers were told their flight was about to depart.
tell someone who/what/why/how etc.:
Just tell me what she said.
Were you told when she would be arriving?
tell someone something:
He finally told me the reason why he was so upset.
tell someone (something) about something:
“Tell me about your day,” she said.
I haven’t been told anything about it.
tell the truth/a lie:
I promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
He tells some absolute whoppers (=big lies) sometimes.
Synonyms and related words
To tell someone something, or to give information
tell
deliver
report
1. 1a
  if something such as a fact, event, or piece of equipment tells you something, it gives or shows you some information
  The facts themselves don’t tell us much.
  Her look of surprise told him that he had guessed right.
  The flashing light tells you when the battery needs recharging.
  What does this room tell you about the person who lived here?
  tell its own story/tale (=give all the information that you need):
  His troubled face told its own story.
  Synonyms and related words
  To tell someone something, or to give information
  tell
  deliver
  report
2. 1b
  if you tell a story or a joke, you give someone a spoken account of it
  Grandpa tells wonderful stories about the old days.
  tell someone something:
  Shall I tell you a joke?
  Synonyms and related words
  To tell a joke or jokes
  joke
  tell
  quip
2
transitive to order or strongly advise someone to do something
I’m not asking you – I’m telling you!
tell someone to do something:
I told you to be here on time this morning.
tell someone what/how/when etc.:
I told him what to do, but he wouldn’t listen.
You will be told where to sit.
do as/what you’re told:
Do as you’re told this minute!
Synonyms and related words
To tell people what to do
order
order around
tell
3
intransitive/transitive never progressiveto recognize something as a result of knowledge, experience, or evidence
He’s lying. I can always tell.
tell (that):
Peter could tell that she was bored.
tell who/what/whether etc.:
It’s never easy to tell whether he’s being serious or not.
Synonyms and related words
To notice or recognize something or someone
notice
recognize
observe
1. 3a
  to recognize the difference between one person or thing and another
  Which is which? I can’t tell.
  tell something/someone from something/someone:
  Can you tell butter from margarine?
  They’re so alike I can hardly tell one from the other.
  tell the difference (between):
  These days it’s hard to tell the difference between the good guys and the bad guys.
  Synonyms and related words
  To notice or recognize something or someone
  notice
  recognize
  observe
4
intransitive to have an effect that can be clearly seen, especially a bad effect
tell on:
These endless business trips are telling on his marriage.
begin/start to tell:
The strain of the last few days was beginning to tell.
Synonyms and related words
To have an effect
affect
shape
impact
5
intransitive informalto not keep a secret
You promised you wouldn’t tell.
Synonyms and related words
To tell or reveal a secret or secrets
reveal
tell
betray
1. 5a
  intransitive/transitive to inform someone about something bad or wrong that someone else has done
  You’re not going to tell, are you?
  I’m going to tell the teacher if you don’t leave me alone.
  tell on someone:
  I won’t tell on you if you don’t tell on me.
  Synonyms and related words
  To tell or reveal a secret or secrets
  reveal
  tell
  betray
6
intransitive to inform someone about something bad that someone else has done
tell on:
She threatened to tell on me.
Synonyms and related words
To tell or reveal a secret or secrets
reveal
tell
betray
7
transitive formalto count each of a number of things, for example animals in a group or votes in an election
Synonyms and related words
To calculate or count
calculate
count
estimate

phrases

all told

don’t tell me

I can tell you

I can’t tell you how/what

I couldn’t tell you

I told you (so)

I’ll tell you something/one thing/another thing

(I’ll) tell you what

something tells me (that)

tell it like it is

tell me

tell me about it

tell me another (one)

tell tales

tell time

tell someone where to go

tell yourself (that)

someone tells me (that)

that would be telling

to tell (you) the truth

what did I tell you?

you never can tell

you’re telling me

phrasal verbs

tell apart

tell of

tell off

tell

tell

tell ​‌‌‌

tell ​‌‌‌

tell

tell