1
[ verb ] express an idea, etc. in words

Synonyms

say state

Examples

"He said that he wanted to marry her" "tell me what is bothering you" "state your opinion"

Used in print

(The Dallas Morning News,...)

He told the committee the measure would merely provide means of enforcing the escheat law which has been on_the_books `` since Texas was a republic '' .

Operating_budget for the day_schools in the five counties of Dallas , Harris , Bexar , Tarrant and El_Paso would be $ 451500 , which would be a savings of $ 157460 yearly after the first year 's capital outlay of $ 88000 was absorbed , Parkhouse told the Senate .

(The Dallas Morning News,...)

`` This year , coach Royal told me if I 'd work_on my place-kicking he thought he could use me '' , said Moritz .

(Rocky Mountains News, [Denver, Colorado],...)

`` I 've had it '' , he told a newsman .

(St. Louis Post-Dispatch,...)

Benington recalled that he once told Hartweger that he doubted Gordon would ever play much for him because he seemed to be lacking in all of the accepted basketball skills .

2
[ verb ] let something be known

Examples

"Tell them that you will be late"

Used in print

(The Atlanta Constitution...)

The Highway_Department source told The_Constitution , however , that Vandiver has not been consulted yet about the plans to issue the new rural roads bonds .

(The Dallas Morning News,...)

While details are still be to worked_out , Ratcliff said he expects to tell home_folks in Dallas why he thinks Berry 's proposed constitutional amendment should be rejected .

(Rocky Mountains News, [Denver, Colorado],...)

`` I told him who I was and he was quite cold .

I told him what Liston had said and he said Liston was a double-crosser and said anything he ( Liston ) got was through a keyhole .

This year , I am told , the CBS network will continue to abide_by the rule but NBC will play to a conclusion here .

3
[ verb ] narrate or give a detailed account of

Examples

"Tell what happened" "The father told a story to his child"

Used in print

(Chicago Daily Tribune...)

Several defendants in the Summerdale police burglary trial made statements indicating their guilt at_the_time of their arrest , Judge_James_B._Parsons was told in Criminal_court yesterday .

(The Philadelphia Inquirer,...)

But we can n't tell it all now_and_then have no new excitement later '' .

(The Sun, [Baltimore]...)

The driver told police he followed as the Negro man got_out of the cab with his money .

In another attack , Samuel_Verstandig , 41 , proprietor of a food store in the 2100 block Aiken street , told police two Negroes assaulted him in his store and stole $ 150 from the cash_register after choking and beating him .

(Chicago Daily Tribune,...)

Six radiomen told how , twice on two days after the ring was nabbed , a transmitter near Moscow was heard calling , using signals , times and wavelengths specified on codes found hidden in cigaret lighters in Lonsdale 's apartment and the Krogers ' house and also fastened to the transmitter lid .

4
[ verb ] give instructions to or direct somebody to do something with authority

Synonyms

order say enjoin

Examples

"I said to him to go home" "She ordered him to do the shopping" "The mother told the child to get dressed"

Used in print

(Bonnie Prudden, "The Dancer and the Gymnast"...)

Those children who can chin themselves should be told to do one chin_up each time they pass under it .

(Tristram Coffin, Not to the Swift....)

I 've got a quarter of a_million Germans in my state , and those krautheads tune_in on Father_Werther every_night , and if he tells them to go_out and piss in the public_square , that 's what they do .

He 's telling them now to write letters to their Congressmen opposing the disarmament of Germany ' .

(W. E. B. DuBois, Worlds of Color....)

But he told Wilson to `` go_ahead and try '' .

(David Stacton, The Judges of the Secret Court....)

Dr._Verdi had told him to deliver his package in_person .

5
[ verb ] discern or comprehend

Examples

"He could tell that she was unhappy"

Used in print

(Nathan Rapport, ""I've Been Here before!"...)

I can n't tell when , but I'm positive I witnessed this same scene of this particular gathering at some time in the past '' !

(William S. Haymond, "Is Distance an Original...)

( 1 ) When an object was placed in the patient 's hand , he had no difficulty determining whether it was warm or cold , sharp or blunt , rough or smooth , flexible , soft , or hard ; and he could tell , simply by the feel of it , whether it was made of wood , iron , cloth , rubber , and_so_on .

(Tristram Coffin, Not to the Swift....)

Human nature was not a piece of meat you could tell was bad by its smell .

(Frieda Arkin, "The Light of the Sea," in The...)

He could tell they were approaching the sea .

(Hampton Stone, The Man Who Looked Death...)

These shapes might have been mad , but there was no telling .

Related terms

guess

6
[ verb ] inform positively and with certainty and confidence

Synonyms

assure

Examples

"I tell you that man is a crook!"

Used in print

(Alex Gordon, The Cipher....)

The way Hoag was , no telling what he might say or do .

(George Harmon Coxe, Error of Judgement....)

He tried to tell himself that maybe Burton had sobered_up enough to get some sense .

He kept telling himself this as he went_out to the kitchen to make a drink .

Related terms

affirm

7
[ verb ] give evidence

Examples

"he was telling on all his former colleague"

Used in print

(Doris Miles Disney, Mrs. Meeker's Money....)

There was no telling how she 'd react to spending money '' .

(Peter Field, Rattlesnake Ridge....)

His first glimpse of the ranch_house across the brushy swells told him nothing .

8
[ verb ] mark as different

Examples

"We distinguish several kinds of maple"

Used in print

(James Thurber, "The Future, If Any, of Comedy,"...)

`` If we cannot tell evil , horror , and insanity from nonsense , what is the future of humor and comedy '' ?

It is becoming harder and harder to tell law courts and political_arenas from the modern theatre '' .

9
[ noun ] Last name, frequency rank in the U.S. is 19930
10
[ noun ] a Swiss patriot who lived in the early 14th century and who was renowned for his skill as an archer; according to legend an Austrian governor compelled him to shoot an apple from his son's head with his crossbow (which he did successfully without mishap)

Synonyms

William_Tell

Related terms

archer

*