What does tell mean?
Tell is a basic English verb for communicating information, giving an account, or making something known. It often takes an indirect object followed by a clause—“Tell me what happened”—but also appears in transitive constructions such as “tell a story” or “tell the truth.” In sentences such as “You can tell that she is nervous,” it means discern or recognize. The word is neutral enough for everyday conversation and formal reporting, although a blunt “Tell me what you want” can sound commanding. Tell also functions as a noun: archaeologists use it for a mound formed by successive layers of settlement, while poker players call an involuntary revealing behavior a tell. Across these uses, the word’s central idea is disclosure: whether someone is recounting events, revealing a fact, or displaying something that another person can interpret. Its simplicity and flexibility make it indispensable in descriptions of speech, perception, evidence, and concealed intention.
To communicate information or recount something; also, to make something known, discern a quality, or indicate a fact.
"The witness told the court what she had seen that evening."
Tell commonly occurs with an indirect object, as in “tell me the news,” and with a direct object naming a story, truth, or secret. Its past tense and present participle are “told” and “telling.”
A mound formed by accumulated archaeological debris, especially one marking the remains of a long-settled habitation; also, an involuntary gesture or behavioral cue that reveals a player's cards or intentions.
"The excavations uncovered tools and pottery beneath one of the tells in the valley."
The archaeological sense is chiefly associated with British and international archaeological usage. In poker, a tell is generally an unintended sign rather than a deliberate bluff.
The regular plural is used for multiple archaeological mounds and, in poker contexts, for multiple revealing behavioral cues.
"Several tells preserve the layered remains of ancient settlements."
The word that means “share a story” also names an ancient settlement mound—an accidental mini-surprise for readers.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does tell come from?
The English verb descends from Old English tellan, meaning “to inform, recount, or speak,” whose forms developed through Old and Middle English. It is generally traced to Proto-Germanic *taljaną, “to count, tell, or relate,” and is cognate with Dutch tellen, German erzählen, and Old Norse telja; its relationship with the older sense of counting also connects it with tally. Modern uses developed from this history of recounting and conveying information to include discerning evidence and indicating feelings or intentions.
Related word forms
How tell is actually used
Tell is neutral in register and suitable for both informal conversation and formal reporting. The imperative “Tell me...” can sound blunt when used as a command, so a softer construction may be preferable when making a request. The archaeological noun is used chiefly in British English, while the poker sense is more broadly understood.
Easily confused with tell
A tale is a story or account, whereas tell is principally the verb used to communicate or recount something.