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tell
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- pronunciation:
- tel
- phrases:
- tell apart
- features:
- Note, Word Explorer
| part of speech: |
verb |
| inflections: |
tells, telling, told |
| definition 1: |
When you tell someone something, you use words to let them know something new.
My dad told us about his new job when we had dinner last night.The teacher was telling the class about seeds and flowers when she suddenly sneezed.- synonyms:
- inform
- similar words:
- advise
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| definition 2: |
When you tell a story, you use words and sentences to let someone else know the story too.
Natalie and her cousin stayed up late and told scary stories to each other.- synonyms:
- relate
- similar words:
- bid, communicate, express, narrate, repeat, report, speak, spin, write
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| definition 3: |
When you tell something, you let other people know a certain thing that was hidden before.
Leslie promised she would never tell Amy's secret.Jeremy didn't want to admit what he did, but he finally told the truth to his dad.- synonyms:
- announce, reveal
- similar words:
- leak, repeat, report
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| definition 4: |
When somebody tells you to do something, they are saying that you have to do this thing. When somebody tells you to do something, they expect you to do it.
When Jennifer's dad tells her to get ready for bed, he wants her to do it right away.Connor's mom told him to wash his hands before dinner.- synonyms:
- command, demand, direct, instruct, order
- similar words:
- bid, charge, dictate, require
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| definition 5: |
If you can tell when your dad is angry, it means that you are able to know when he is angry. If you look at a flower but can't tell if it is real or not, it means that you are not able to know if it's real or not.
Grace gave her brother a present, but she couldn't tell if he liked it or not. He didn't say very much when he opened it.I can always tell when my uncle is joking, but my little sister always thinks he's serious.- synonyms:
- distinguish
- similar words:
- know
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| related words: |
alert, ask, confide, contact, demonstrate, indicate, order, rumor, say, state |
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| phrase: |
tell apart |
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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