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   tell

   /tɛl/

   verb

   • 1. communicate information to someone in spoken or written words: "I told her you were coming" Similar informlet knownotifyapprisemake awaremention something toacquaint withadviseput in the picturebrieffill inbreak the news toalertwarnforewarninformal:clue inspeakuttersayvoicestatedeclarecommunicatemake knownimpartdivulgeannounceproclaimbroadcastrelaterecountnarrategive an account ofset forthunfoldretailreportchroniclereciterehearsedescribeportraysketchdelineatedepictpaintweavespin
   • ▪ order or advise someone to do something: "tell him to go away" Similar instructordergive orderscommanddirectchargeenjoincall onrequireliterary:bid
   • ▪ relate (a story): "he tried to make the children laugh by telling jokes"
   • ▪ reveal (information) to someone in a non-verbal way: "the figures tell a different story" Similar revealshowbe/give evidence ofdiscloseindicateconveysignifydisplayexhibit
   • ▪ divulge confidential or private information: "promise you won't tell" Similar give the game awaytalktell talesopen one's mouthtattleinformal:spill the beanslet the cat out of the bagblabblow the gaffOpposite keep a secret
   • 2. decide or determine correctly or with certainty: "you can tell they're in love" Similar ascertaindecidedeterminework outmake outdeducediscernperceiveseeidentifyrecognizeunderstandcomprehendbe surebe certaininformal:figure outget a fix onsuss out
   • ▪ perceive (the difference between one person or thing and another): "I can't tell the difference between margarine and butter" Similar distinguishdifferentiatetell apartdiscriminate
   • 3. count (the members of a group): archaic "the shepherd had told all his sheep"

   noun

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

   Word Origin Old Englishtellan ‘relate, count, estimate’, of Germanic origin; related to German zählen ‘reckon, count’, erzählen ‘recount, relate’, also to tale.

   Derivatives

   • 1. tellable adjective

   Scrabble Points: 4

   • T

     1

   • E

     1

   • L

     1

   • L

     1

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2. People also ask

   What does tell mean?

   • Get a quick, free translation! TELL definition: 1. to say something to someone, often giving them information or instructions: 2. to say…. Learn more.

   TELL | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/tell

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   What is the difference between say and tell?

   • The past simple of say is said, the past simple of tell is told: … Both say and tell take a direct object. The object is most commonly the reported clause (the report of what someone said). … We use tell with an indirect object and a to-infinitive to report a command or an instruction. We don’t normally use say in this way: … (I) told you (so)!

   TELL | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/tell

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   What does tell a person mean?

   • [transitive] (of a person) to give information to somebody by speaking or writing tell something to somebody He told the news to everybody he saw. tell somebody something He told everybody he saw the news. Did she tell you her name? ‘Come closer,’ she said, ‘I want to tell you something’.

   tell verb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/tell

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   What does tell a person to do a thing mean?

   • [transitive] to order or advise somebody to do something tell somebody/yourself to do something He was told to sit down and wait. There was a sign telling motorists to slow down. I kept telling myself to keep calm. I specifically told you to be here on time. tell somebody something Do what I tell you. tell somebody Children must do as they're told.

   tell verb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/tell

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   What does tell a story mean?

   • , told, tell·ing. to tell the story of Lincoln's childhood. to make known by speech or writing (a fact, news, information, etc.); communicate. to announce or proclaim. to utter (the truth, a lie, etc.). to express in words (thoughts, feelings, etc.). to reveal or divulge (something secret or private). I cannot tell just what was done.

   TELL Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

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   What is the difference between Tell and betray?

   • divulge implies a disclosure involving some impropriety or breach of confidence. tell implies an imparting of necessary or useful information. betray implies a divulging that represents a breach of faith or an involuntary or unconscious disclosure. Verb He told us the story.

   Tell Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

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3. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishTELL | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   TELL definition: 1. to say something to someone, often giving them information or instructions: 2. to say…. Learn more.

   • English (US)

     TELL meaning: 1. to say something to someone, often giving...

   • Telltale

     TELLTALE definition: 1. allowing a secret to become known:...

   • Znaczenie Tell, Definicja W Cambridge English Dictionary

     TELL definicja: 1. to say something to someone, often giving...

   • Tell: Thai Translation

     TELL translate: บอก, สั่ง, พูด, จำแนกความแตกต่าง,...

   • Tell: Japanese Translation

     TELL translate: ～に話す, 言う, 教える, 伝（つた）える, 告（つ）げる, 話（はな）す,...

   • Tell: German Translation

     TELL translate: erzählen, befehlen, sagen, unterscheiden,...

   • Tell: Italian Translation

     TELL translate: dire, raccontare, dire, raccontare, dire,...

   • Tell: Polish Translation

     TELL translate: powiedzieć, mówić, odbijać się, powiedzieć,...

4. www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › tellTell Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › tell

   • Cached

   The meaning of TELL is to relate in detail : narrate. How to use tell in a sentence. Synonym Discussion of Tell.

5. dictionary.cambridge.org › us › dictionaryTELL | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › us › dictionary

   • Cached

   TELL meaning: 1. to say something to someone, often giving them information or instructions: 2. to say…. Learn more.

6. www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › englishTELL definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english

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   If you tell something such as a joke, a story, or your personal experiences, you communicate it to other people using speech.

7. www.dictionary.com › browse › tellTELL Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

   www.dictionary.com › browse › tell

   • Cached

   Tell definition: to give an account or narrative of; narrate; relate (a story, tale, etc.). See examples of TELL used in a sentence.

8. dictionary.cambridge.org › learner-english › tellMeaning of tell – Learner’s Dictionary - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › learner-english › tell

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   to know or recognize something from what you hear, see, etc: [ + (that) ] You could tell that he was tired. [ + question word ] You can never tell whether Hajime's being serious or not. I can't tell the difference between them.

9. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › english › telltell verb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage ...

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › english › tell

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   Tell is usually used when somebody is giving facts or information, often with what, where, etc: Can you tell me when the movie starts? Tell is also used when you are giving somebody instructions: The doctor told me to stay in bed. NOT. The doctor said me to stay in bed.