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How to pronounce tell
Say it like this: /tɛl/. Listen to real recordings below and compare how it sounds in different accents.
What does tell mean?
verbMental senses related to determining, reckoning, or perceiving
“All told, there were over a dozen. Can you tell time on a clock? He had untold wealth.”
To notice, discern. (Roughly, "can tell" means "know" but with a sense of direct perception.)
“I can tell that you're thrilled.”
To pick up on a difference. (See tell apart for more.)
“An expert can tell an original from a forgery.”
nounA reflexive, often habitual behavior, especially one occurring in a context that often features attempts at deception by persons under psychological stress (such as a poker game or police interrogatio
A giveaway; something that unintentionally reveals or hints at a secret.
“Those whose business it is to verify luxury bags insist, at least publicly, that there’s always a “tell” to a superfake.”
That which is told; a tale or account.
“April 4, 1743, Horace Walpole, letter to Sir Horace Mann I am at the end of my tell.”
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Pronunciations and meanings from Wiktionary via kaikki.org, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Recordings by Wikimedia Commons contributors. This page is shared under the same license.