Definition Definition

tell - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'tell' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Tell [ n.]
- That which is told; tale; account.
- A hill or mound.
2 . Tell [ v. i.]
- To give an account; to make report.
- To take effect; to produce a marked effect; as, every shot tells; every expression tells.
3 . Tell [ v. t.]
- To mention one by one, or piece by piece; to recount; to enumerate; to reckon; to number; to count; as, to tell money.
- To utter or recite in detail; to give an account of; to narrate.
- To make known; to publish; to disclose; to divulge.
- To give instruction to; to make report to; to acquaint; to teach; to inform.
- To order; to request; to command.
- To discern so as to report; to ascertain by observing; to find out; to discover; as, I can not tell where one color ends and the other begins.
- To make account of; to regard; to reckon; to value; to estimate.

Meaning of 'tell' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . tell [ v]
Meaning (1):
- discern or comprehend
Example in sentence:
  • He could tell that she was unhappy
Meaning (2):
- express in words
Example in sentence:
  • He said that he wanted to marry her;
  • state your name;
  • state your opinion;
  • tell me what is bothering you
Meaning (3):
- give evidence
Example in sentence:
  • he was telling on all his former colleague
Meaning (4):
- give instructions to or direct somebody to do something with authority
Example in sentence:
  • I said to him to go home;
  • She ordered him to do the shopping;
  • The mother told the child to get dressed
Meaning (5):
- inform positively and with certainty and confidence
Example in sentence:
  • I tell you that man is a crook!
Meaning (6):
- let something be known
Example in sentence:
  • Tell them that you will be late
Meaning (7):
- narrate or give a detailed account of
Example in sentence:
  • Tell what happened;
  • The father told a story to his child
Meaning (8):
- mark as different
Example in sentence:
  • We distinguish several kinds of maple