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tell
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- pronunciation:
- tel
- parts of speech:
- transitive verb, intransitive verb
- phrases:
- tell apart, tell on, tell time
- features:
- Word Combinations (verb), Note, Word Explorer, Grammatical Patterns
| part of speech: |
transitive verb |
| inflections: |
tells, telling, told |
| definition 1: |
to express verbally; relate in spoken or written words.
In her book, the author tells the story of a young orphaned girl.He had told a lie, and now he regretted it.Please tell what happened that day.[verb + WH/whether/if + clause
]
- synonyms:
- impart, relate
- similar words:
- bid, communicate, express, narrate, recount, repeat, report, speak, spin, verbalize, write
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| definition 2: |
to inform or reveal to (someone) through speaking or writing.
He told me about the accident.They told us of their life before the war.I already know about that because she told me yesterday.She told me that she regretted what happened.[verb + smby + (that) + clause
]
I was told that we would be meeting here at one o'clock.[verb + smby + (that) + clause
]
Could you tell me how to use this gadget?[verb + smby + WH/whether + infinitive
]
Could you tell me where they went?[verb + smby + WH/whether/if + clause
]
Please tell me if you find any mistakes.- synonyms:
- apprise, inform
- similar words:
- advise, notify
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| definition 3: |
to make known; divulge.
He'll never tell the secret.You'll have to tell me the truth now.[verb + object + object
]
- synonyms:
- announce, disclose, divulge, reveal
- similar words:
- give away, impart, leak, repeat, report
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| definition 4: |
to command or direct.
She told the children to behave nicely at their grandmother's.[verb + smby/smth + infinitive
]
I told the movers to put the piano in the living room.[verb + smby/smth + infinitive
]
He told her not to drive home in the snowstorm.[verb + smby/smth + infinitive
]
You don't have the authority to tell me what to do.[verb + smby + WH/whether + infinitive
]
- synonyms:
- command, demand, direct, instruct, order
- similar words:
- bid, charge, dictate, require
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| definition 5: |
to distinguish.
He can't tell the difference between butter and margarine.Can you tell if this meat is still fresh?[verb + WH/whether/if + clause
]
- synonyms:
- discern, distinguish
- similar words:
- differentiate, discriminate, know, see
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| related words: |
alert, ask, betray, chronicle, confide, contact, demonstrate, disclose, fill in, indicate, let out, order, pass, phrase, rehearse, rumor, say, state, tattle, warn |
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| part of speech: |
intransitive verb |
| definition 1: |
to give an account, description, or report.
He told of his travels in South America.- synonyms:
- narrate, report
- similar words:
- recite, speak
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| definition 2: |
to give evidence.
Her success tells of her hard work.- synonyms:
- speak
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| definition 3: |
to reveal a secret or private matter.
I know the secret, but I'm not telling.- synonyms:
- confide, talk, unbosom
- similar words:
- confess, inform, leak, rat
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| definition 4: |
to have some pronounced effect or impact (fol. by "on").
Stress tells on her ability to concentrate. |
| related words: |
communicate, inform, open up, show, tattle |
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| phrase: |
tell apart, tell on, tell time |
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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