Webster's English Dictionary: tell

tell

Cross references:
  1. reveal                
 
tell \'tel\ \'to-ld\ vb or told;  or tell.ing [ME tellen, fr. OE tellan; 
   akin to OHG zellen to count, tell,] OE talu tale 1: COUNT, ENUMERATE  2a: 
   to relate in detail : NARRATE  2b: SAY, UTTER  3a: to make known, DIVULGE, 
   REVEAL  3b: to express in words  4a: to report to : INFORM  4b: to assure 
   emphatically {he did not do it, I ~ you}  5: ORDER, DIRECT {told her to 
   wait}  6: to ascertain by observing : find out  1: to give an account  2: 
   to act as a talebearer : INFORM  3: to take effect : have a marked effect  
   4: to serve as evidence or indication