tell tales

T t

Definitions of tell tales words

noun tell tales a person who heedlessly or maliciously reveals private or confidential matters; tattler; talebearer. 1
noun tell tales a thing serving to reveal or disclose something. 1
noun tell tales any of various indicating or registering devices, as a time clock. 1
noun tell tales Music. a gauge on an organ for indicating the air pressure. 1
noun tell tales an indicator showing the position of a ship's rudder. 1
noun tell tales a row of strips hung over a track to warn train crew members on freight trains that a low bridge, tunnel, or the like is approaching. 1

before 1540

One of the 30% oldest English words

First recorded in 1540-50; tell1 + tale

noun

adjective

verb

adverb

pronoun

preposition

conjunction

determiner

exclamation

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 75% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.

This word is included in each student's vocabulary. Most likely there is at least one movie with this word in the title.

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

bad mouth — Slang. to speak critically and often disloyally of; disparage: Why do you bad-mouth your family so much?
blathering — foolish, voluble talk: His speech was full of the most amazing blather.
blether — blather
blethered — weary
dished — concave: a dished face.