Từ điển trực tuyến

tell

US: /ˈtɛɫ/

UK: /tˈɛl/

English Vietnamese dictionary

tell /tel/

ngoại động từ told
- nói, nói với, nói lên, nói ra
  - to tell the truth: nói sự thật
  - to tell someone something: nói với ai điều gì
- nói cho biết, bảo
  - we are told that...: người ta nói với chúng tôi rằng..., người ta bảo chúng tôi rằng...
- chỉ cho, cho biết
  - to tell the way: chỉ đường cho
  - to tell the time: chỉ giờ
- biểu thị, biểu lộ, tỏ
  - her face told her joy: nét mặt cô ta biểu lộ nỗi vui mừng
- kể, thuật lại
  - to tell a story: kể một câu chuyện
- xác định, phân biệt
  - to tell the difference: xác định sự khác nhau
  - to tell right from wrong: phân biệt phải trái
- khẳng định, cả quyết
  - I can tell you it's not easy: tôi khẳng định với anh cái đó không dễ đâu
- biết
  - tell him to come: bảo nó đến
- tiết lộ, phát giác
  - to tell a secret: tiết lộ một điều bí mật
- đếm, lần
  - to tell the votes: kiểm phiếu
  - to tell one's beads: lần tràng hạt
  - all told: tất cả, cả thảy

nội động từ
- nói về
- ảnh hưởng đến, có kết quả
  - it tells upon his health: điều đó ảnh hưởng đến sức khoẻ của anh ta
- to tell against
  - làm chứng chống lại, nói điều chống lại
- to tell off
  - định, chọn, lựa; phân công
- (thông tục) nói thẳng vào mặt, rầy la, kể tội
- to tell on
  - làm mệt, làm kiệt sức
- (thông tục) mách
- to tell over
  - đếm
- to get told off
  - bị làm nhục, bị mắng nhiếc
- to tell the tale
  - (từ lóng) bịa ra một câu chuyện đáng thương để làm động lòng
- to tell the world
  - (từ Mỹ,nghĩa Mỹ) công bố, khẳng định
- you are telling me
  - (từ lóng) thôi tôi đã biết thừa rồi

Advanced English dictionary

give information
1 ~ sb (sth)
~ sth to sb (of a person) to give information to sb by speaking or writing: [VN, VNN] He told the news to everybody he saw. + He told everybody he saw the news. + [VN] Why wasn't I told about the accident? + [VNN] Did she tell you her name? + [VN (that)] They've told us (that) they're not coming. + Are you telling me you didn't have any help with this? (= I don't believe what you have said) + [VN wh-] Tell me where you live. + [VN speech] 'I'm ready to go now,' he told her. - SAY
2 (of some writing, an instrument, a sign, etc.) to give information about sth: [VNN] The advertisement told us very little about the product. + [VN wh-] This gauge tells you how much fuel you have left. + [VN (that)] The sound of his breathing told her (that) he was asleep.
express in words
3 to express sth in words: [VN] to tell stories / jokes / lies + Are you telling the truth? + [VN wh-] I can't tell you how happy I am.
secret
4 [V] to let sb know a secret: Promise you won't tell. + 'Who are you going out with tonight?' 'That would be telling!' (= it's a secret)
order
5 to order or advise sb to do sth: [VN to inf] He was told to sit down and wait. + There was a sign telling motorists to slow down. + I kept telling myself to keep calm. + [VNN] Do what I tell you. + [VN] Children must do as they're told. + [VN wh-] Don't tell me what to do! + [VN (that)] The doctor told me (that) I should eat less fat. - ORDER, SAY
know / judge
6 (not used in the progressive tenses) to know, see or judge sth correctly: [V] I think he's happy. It's hard to tell. + As far as I can tell, she's enjoying the course. + [V (that)] I could tell (that) he was angry from his expression. + [V wh-] 'That's not an original.' 'How can you tell?' + The only way to tell if you like something is by trying it.
distinguish
7 ~ A from B (not used in the progressive tenses or in the passive) to distinguish one thing or person from another: [VN] It was hard to tell the difference between the two versions. + Can you tell Tom from his twin brother? + It's difficult to tell them apart. + [V wh-] The kittens looked exactly alike-how could you tell which was which?
have effect
8 [V] ~ (on sb) to have an effect on sb/sth, especially a bad one: The strain was beginning to tell on the rescue team.
Idioms: all told with all people, etc. counted and included: There are 52 people coming, all told.
don't tell me (spoken, informal) used to say that you know or can guess what sb is going to say, especially because it is typical of them: Don't tell me you were late again!
I / I'll tell you what (spoken) used to introduce a suggestion: I'll tell you what-let's stay in instead.
I tell you
I can tell you
I'm telling you (spoken) used to emphasize what you are saying, especially when it is surprising or difficult to believe: It isn't cheap, I can tell you! + I'm telling you, that's exactly what she said.
I told you (so) (spoken) used when sth bad has happened, to remind sb that you warned them about it and they did not listen to you
live, etc. to tell the tale to survive a difficult or dangerous experience so that you can tell others what really happened
tell a different story / tale to give some information that is different from what you expect or have been told
tell its own tale / story to explain itself, without needing any further explanation or comment: Her face told its own story.
tell me (spoken) used to introduce a question: Tell me, have you had lunch yet?
tell me about it (spoken) used to say that you understand what sb is talking about and have had the same experience: 'I get so annoyed with Steve!' 'Tell me about it. He drives me crazy.'
tell me another! (spoken) used to tell sb that you do not believe what they have said
tell tales (about sth / on sb) (BrE) to tell sb about sth that another person has done wrong
related noun TELLTALE
tell the time (BrE) (AmE tell time) to read the time from a clock, etc: She's only five-she hasn't learnt to tell the time yet.
tell sb where to get off / where they get off (BrE, informal) to make it clear to sb that you will no longer accept their bad behaviour
tell sb where to put / stick sth
tell sb what they can do with sth (informal) to make it clear to sb that you are angry and are rejecting what they are offering you
there's no telling used to say that it is impossible to know what happened or will happen: There's no telling how they'll react.
to tell (you) the truth used when admitting sth: To tell the truth, I fell asleep in the middle of her talk.
you can never tell
you never can tell you can never be sure, for example because things are not always what they appear to be
you're telling me! (spoken, informal) I completely agree with you
more at HEAR, KISS v., LITTLE adj., THING, TIME n., TRUTH
Phrasal Verbs: tell against sb (BrE, formal) to be a disadvantage to sb: Her lack of experience told against her.
tell of sth (formal or literary) to make sth known; to give an account of sth: notices telling of the proposed job cuts
tell sb<->off (for sth / for doing sth) (informal) to speak angrily to sb for doing sth wrong
Synonym: SCOLD
I told the boys off for making so much noise. + Did you get told off?
related noun TELLING-OFF
tell on sb (informal) to tell a person in authority about sth bad that sb has done: Promise not to tell on me!

Thesaurus dictionary

1 relate, narrate, recount, recite:

Tell me a story.

2 Sometimes, tell of. say, mention, hint at, refer to, touch on, utter, state, declare, proclaim, announce, publish, broadcast, communicate, make known, report, impart, indicate, release, break, let (something) be known, advertise, trumpet, herald, bring to light, disclose, divulge, intimate, leak, admit, betray, acknowledge, confess, disbosom oneself, get (something) off (one's) chest, unburden or disburden (oneself), blab, tattle, Colloq talk, let the cat out of the bag, spill the beans, let out, let slip, blow the whistle on, give away the (whole) show, US pull the plug on, Slang squeal, squeak, rat, peach, US spill (one's) guts:

She told of her fears. He refuses to tell where the money is hidden. She talked a lot but told very little.

3 apprise, advise, inform, let (someone) know, notify, acquaint (someone) with (something):

He has told me everything. Tell them that I shall be late. He told them nothing of his illness.

4 recount, describe, delineate, outline, portray, depict, express, put, word, explain:

I am not sure how to tell you this.

5 order, command, require, demand (that), charge, direct, dictate (that), instruct, bid:

Tell them I want no visitors today. She told him to go.

6 carry weight, be influential, be effective, have (an) effect:

What we accomplished here today is bound to tell in our favour.

7 determine, say, confirm, aver, assert, asseverate, swear, take an oath, be sure or certain or positive, know (for sure or for certain):

It just shows you never can tell.

8 ascertain, determine, perceive, understand, make out, discern, identify, recognize, distinguish, discriminate, differentiate:

I cannot tell if that is George or not. I can't tell George from John in this photograph.

9 predict, prophesy, forecast, foretell, foresee, forecast, determine, ascertain, know:

Who can tell what tomorrow will bring?

10 tell off. scold, reprimand, berate, chide, castigate, censure, take to task, rebuke, lecture, reproach, reprove, Colloq give (someone) a tongue-lashing, rake or haul (someone) over the coals, give (someone) a piece of (one's) mind, tick off, Slang tear a strip off, US chew out:

He was told off for being late for dinner again.

11 tell on. tattle on, blab about, Brit grass on:

Charlotte never forgave Tim for telling on her to Aunt Jane.

tumulus, mound, barrow, hillock:

Excavation of the tell exposed ancient skeletons.

Collocation dictionary

¹ give sb information

ADV.

bluntly, curtly, flatly

She told me bluntly it was my own fault.

| gravely | smugly | truthfully | falsely

VERB + TELL

want to | be going to

I was going to tell you?I just didn't get round to it.

| try to | hate to

I hate to tell you, but the car's a write-off.

| let sb

I tried to tell them but they wouldn't let me.

PREP.

about

I never told him about the money.

| of

No one had told her of the dangers.

| to

He told the story to all his friends.

² order sb

ADV.

firmly, sternly

‘Calm down,’ he told her firmly.

Concise English dictionary

told|tells|tellingtel
noun
+a Swiss patriot who lived in the early 14th century and who was renowned for his skill as an archer; according to legend an Austrian governor compelled him to shoot an apple from his son's head with his crossbow (which he did successfully without mishap)
verb
+express in words
+let something be known
+narrate or give a detailed account of
+give instructions to or direct somebody to do something with authority
+discern or comprehend
+inform positively and with certainty and confidence
+give evidence
+mark as different