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Antonyms for tell
| Grammar : Verb |
| Spell : tel |
| Phonetic Transcription : tɛl |
Definition of tell
Origin :- Old English tellan "to reckon, calculate, consider, account," from Proto-Germanic *taljanan "to mention in order" (cf. Old Saxon tellian, Old Norse telja, Old Frisian tella "to count, tell," Dutch tellen "to count, reckon," Old Saxon talon "to count, reckon," Danish tale "to speak," Old High German zalon, German zählen "to count, reckon"), from root *talo (see tale). Meaning "to narrate, relate" is from c.1000; that of "to make known by speech or writing, announce" is from early 12c. Sense of "to reveal or disclose" is from c.1400; that of "to act as an informer, to 'peach' " is recorded from 1901. Meaning "to order (someone to do something)" is from 1590s. Original sense in teller and phrase to tell time. For sense evolution, cf. French conter "to count," raconter "to recount;" Italian contare, Spanish contar "to count, recount, narrate;" German zählen "to count," erzählen "to recount, narrate."
- I tolde hyme so, & euer he seyde nay. [Thomas Hoccleve, "The Regiment of Princes," c.1412]
- Telling "having effect or force" is from 1852.
- verb communicate
- verb narrate, describe
- verb understand, discern
- verb carry weight
- verb calculate
- Tell Mrs. Van Geist if she can't come down, I'll run up to her.
- Extract from : « The Spenders » by Harry Leon Wilson
- Did he tell you how to make a lovely asparagus short-cake or something?
- Extract from : « The Spenders » by Harry Leon Wilson
- "But I tell you she isn't right," insisted Percival, warmly.
- Extract from : « The Spenders » by Harry Leon Wilson
- Don't mind him, dad—I know all about it, I tell you—I'll explain later to you.
- Extract from : « The Spenders » by Harry Leon Wilson
- But she constantly recalls what that snobbish Bines was unfair enough to tell her.
- Extract from : « The Spenders » by Harry Leon Wilson
- I could tell it, if nothing else showed it, by the way in which she overdoes respectability.
- Extract from : « The Spenders » by Harry Leon Wilson
- If you think it is I'll tell you something that isn't: Avice practically refused him.
- Extract from : « The Spenders » by Harry Leon Wilson
- Take it at once, and tell her I shall be up to see her presently.
- Extract from : « The Spenders » by Harry Leon Wilson
- Aspasia will tell you I have been a beautiful but idle dreamer all my life.
- Extract from : « Philothea » by Lydia Maria Child
- I tell you he's alive and well, only he's lost your money and Pish's and mine and his own.
- Extract from : « The Spenders » by Harry Leon Wilson
Synonyms for tell
- acquaint
- advise
- announce
- apprise
- ascertain
- authorize
- be sure
- bid
- break the news
- call upon
- chronicle
- clinch
- clue in
- command
- comprehend
- compute
- confess
- count
- count one by one
- declare
- deduce
- depict
- determine
- differentiate
- direct
- disclose
- discover
- discriminate
- distinguish
- divine
- divulge
- enjoin
- enumerate
- explain
- express
- fill in
- find out
- give an account of
- give facts
- give out
- have effect
- have force
- identify
- impart
- inform
- instruct
- keep posted
- know
- know for certain
- lay open
- leak
- learn
- leave word
- let in on
- let know
- let slip
- level
- make known
- make out
- make presence felt
- make presence known
- mention
- militate
- notify
- number
- numerate
- open up
- order
- perceive
- portray
- proclaim
- put before
- recite
- reckon
- recognize
- recount
- reel off
- register
- rehearse
- relate
- report
- represent
- require
- reveal
- say
- see
- set forth
- speak
- spit it out
- state
- summon
- take effect
- take its toll
- tale
- tally
- utter
- weigh
Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019