[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/tell.html) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/) / tell [← T](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/T/) # tell «tell» in Mova's school dictionary: **to say something to someone so they know it** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it. ### part of speech verb (tell, tells, told, telling); noun (a tell — a sign that gives you away, in games) ### meaning for a pupil 1) To tell is to say something to someone so they know it. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tell/#m1) 2) To tell a story or a joke is to say it out loud for others. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tell/#m2) 3) To tell can mean to know or see a difference: «I can't tell the twins apart». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tell/#m3) 4) To tell someone to do something is to order them. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tell/#m4) 5) To tell the time is to read a clock. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tell/#m5) 6) To tell on someone is to report them to a grown-up (kids also say «dob in» in Australia and NZ, «snitch» or «grass» in rude slang). [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tell/#m6) 7) (casual) «I'm telling you», «tell me about it» mean «I agree, it's true». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tell/#m7) 8) (rude) To tell someone off is to scold them; «tell him where to go» means be rude to him. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tell/#m8) 9) (formal) Exams say «state», «indicate», «specify», «inform» or «determine» for tell. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tell/#m9) ### sense in the lessons which operation a word signals: cue words tell us what to do; «tell how many» asks for an answer; in daily life we tell the truth, tell the time and tell an adult when something is wrong; phrases: «tell the truth», «tell a lie», «tell apart», «tell the time», «tell on someone», «tell off», «you can tell»; in casual talk «I'm tellin' ya», «tell me about it», «don't tell Mum»; in rough talk «tell anyone and you're dead» (a threat: tell an adult anyway), «snitch»; in the exam voice «state the number», «indicate which», «specify» ### examples - The words «more», «in all», «altogether» and «in total» tell us to add. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tell/#x1) - Tell how many apples are left. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tell/#x2) - Grandpa told us a story about a bear. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tell/#x3) - Can you tell the time on this clock? [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tell/#x4) - Always tell an adult if a stranger asks you to go with them. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tell/#x5) - I can't tell which twin is Sam. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tell/#x6) - Mum told me off for eating 5 biscuits. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tell/#x7) - I'm telling ya, it's 12, I counted twice. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tell/#x8) - «This bus is always late.» «Tell me about it.» [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tell/#x9) - Tell anyone and you're dead, ya snitch. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tell/#x10) - State the number of items remaining. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tell/#x11) - You can tell he's tired: he's yawning. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tell/#x12) ### note Past: told. You tell someone something; you say something (to someone). Wrong: «She said me»; right: «She told me». Carries no operation clue itself; it points to the cue words or asks for an answer. «State», «indicate», «specify» in an exam mean tell. Safety: a threat like «tell anyone and you're dead» is a reason to tell a trusted adult, not to keep quiet; telling to keep someone safe is not snitching. ### In the corpora - [Stories about annoying colleagues told at home are private and should not be repeated outside.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/1-a-day-at-a-grown-ups-job/8/) - [Many parents wait about three months before telling people, because the early weeks are the most uncertain.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/18-were-having-a-baby/2/) - [Afterwards everyone goes to the pub, and some people even laugh while telling stories about Grandad.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/25-funerals-and-remembering/3/) - [Voting is secret, so nobody has to tell anyone how they voted, not even their own family.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/31-votes-parties-and-the-people-in-charge/10/) - [If a grown-up's anger ever makes you frightened for your safety, tell another trusted adult.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/36-big-feelings-in-big-people/10/) ### Trees and pragmatics [Every meaning and example of «tell» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tell/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.