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tell
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- pronunciation:
- tel
- features:
- Word Combinations (verb), Note, Word Explorer
| part of speech: |
verb |
| inflections: |
tells, telling, told |
| definition 1: |
to express in spoken or written words.
She had told this story to her child many times, but he still loved it.- synonyms:
- relate
- similar words:
- bid, communicate, express, narrate, repeat, report, speak, spin, write
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| definition 2: |
to provide with information.
He told me about the accident.- synonyms:
- inform
- similar words:
- advise, notify
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| definition 3: |
to make known.
He'll never tell the secret.- synonyms:
- announce, disclose, reveal
- similar words:
- give away, leak, repeat, report
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| definition 4: |
to command.
Please tell the children to behave.- synonyms:
- command, demand, direct, instruct, order
- similar words:
- bid, charge, dictate, require
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| definition 5: |
to recognize; distinguish.
He can't tell the difference between my brother and me.- synonyms:
- distinguish
- similar words:
- discriminate, know
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| definition 6: |
to give proof of.
Her success tells of her hard work. |
| definition 7: |
to reveal a secret or private matter.
I know the answer, but I won't tell.- synonyms:
- confide
- similar words:
- confess, inform, leak, rat
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| related words: |
alert, ask, communicate, contact, demonstrate, disclose, fill in, indicate, let out, order, rumor, say, show, state, tattle |
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tell or say?
Say is used to report the words that someone spoke. Tell is used to report an act of communication between people. The emphasis with say is on words. The emphasis with tell is on both the person who receives a message and the message itself. Compare: - She said that she was sick
- She told me that she was sick.
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