The meaning of TELL is to relate in detail : narrate. How to use tell in a sentence. Synonym Discussion of Tell.

Understanding the Context

We use tell with an indirect object and a to-infinitive to report a command or an instruction. Define tell. tell synonyms, tell pronunciation, tell translation, English dictionary definition of tell. v.

Key Insights

told , tell ing , tells v. tr. 1. a. To communicate by speech or writing; express with words: She told him that the store was closed.

Final Thoughts

Tell me the truth.... to give an account or report: Tell me about your trip. to give evidence or be an indication: The ruined temples told of an ancient culture, long since passed from existence. (transitive or intransitive) To notice, discern. (Roughly, "can tell" means "know" but with a sense of direct perception.) To tell is to describe or announce something, either by speaking or writing. If you're going to be late to a movie, you should tell your friends so they can save you a seat.

If you can tell one thing from another, you are able to recognize the difference between it and other similar things. I can't really tell the difference between their policies and ours. [V n + between] How do you tell one from another? [VERB noun + from] I had to look twice to tell which was Martin; the twins were almost identical.