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told - 7 dictionary results

told

  [tohld] ,
Use told in a Sentence
–verb
1. pt. and pp. of tell.
—Idiom
2. all told, counting everyone or everything; in all: There were 50 guests all told.

tell

1  [tel] ,verb, told, tell⋅ing.
–verb (used with object)
1. to give an account or narrative of; narrate; relate (a story, tale, etc.): to tell the story of Lincoln's childhood.
2. to make known by speech or writing (a fact, news, information, etc.); communicate.
3. to announce or proclaim.
4. to utter (the truth, a lie, etc.).
5. to express in words (thoughts, feelings, etc.).
6. to reveal or divulge (something secret or private).
7. to say plainly or positively: I cannot tell just what was done.
8. to discern or recognize (a distant person or thing) so as to be able to identify or describe: Can you tell who that is over there?
9. to distinguish; discriminate; ascertain: You could hardly tell the difference between them.
10. to inform (a person) of something: He told me his name.
11. to assure emphatically: I won't, I tell you!
12. to bid, order, or command: Tell him to stop.
13. to mention one after another, as in enumerating; count or set one by one or in exact amount: to tell the cattle in a herd; All told there were 17 if we are correct.
–verb (used without object)
14. to give an account or report: Tell me about your trip.
15. to give evidence or be an indication: The ruined temples told of an ancient culture, long since passed from existence.
16. to disclose something secret or private; inform; tattle: She knows who did it, but she won't tell.
17. to say positively; determine; predict: Who can tell?
18. to have force or effect; operate effectively: a contest in which every stroke tells.
19. to produce a marked or severe effect: The strain was telling on his health.
20. British Dialect. to talk or chat.
—Verb phrases
21. tell off,
a. to separate from the whole and assign to a particular duty.
b. Informal. to rebuke severely; scold: It was about time that someone told him off.
22. tell on, to tattle on (someone).
—Idiom
23. tell it like it is, Informal. to tell the complete, unadulterated truth; be forthright: He may be crude but he tells it like it is.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME tellen, OE tellan to relate, count; c. D tellen to reckon, count, ON telja to count, say, OHG zellēn; akin to tale

Synonyms:
1. recount, describe, report. 2. impart. 4. speak. 6. disclose, betray; acknowledge, own, confess; declare.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To told
tell 1   (těl)   
v.   told (tōld), tell·ing, tells

v.   tr.
  1. To give a detailed account of; narrate: tell what happened; told us a story.
  2. To communicate by speech or writing; express with words: tell the truth; tell one's love.
  3. To make known; reveal: tell a secret; tell fortunes.
  4. To notify; inform.
  5. To inform positively; assure: I tell you, the plan will work.
  6. To give instructions to; direct: told the customers to wait in line.
  7. To discover by observation; discern: could tell that he was upset.
  8. To name or number one by one; count: telling one's blessings; 16 windows, all told.
v.   intr.
  1. To give an account or revelation: is prepared to break silence and tell.
  2. To give evidence; inform: promised not to tell on her friend.
  3. To have an effect or impact: In this game every move tells.
Phrasal Verb(s):
tell off Informal To rebuke severely; reprimand.

[Middle English tellen, from Old English tellan; see del-2 in Indo-European roots.]
tell'a·ble adj.
told   (tōld)   
v.  Past tense and past participle of tell1.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Told

Told\ (t[=o]ld), imp. & p. p. of Tell.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : told
Spanish: (derechos de) aduana,
German: der Zoll,
Japanese: 関税
More Translations »

told 
past tense of tell, from O.E. talde, past tense of tellan (see tell (v.)).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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told

see all told; I told you so; little bird told me. also see under tell.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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