/tel; tɛl/
v (pt, pp told / tEUld; told/)
1 [Tn, Dn.n, Dn.pr, Dn.f, Dn.w] ~ sth (to sb) make sth known, esp in spoken or written words （用言语或文字）告知, 告诉, 讲述某事
*tell jokes/stories 讲笑话[故事]
* I could tell you a thing or two about him. 我可以给你讲他的一两件事.
* He told the news to everybody in the village. 他把那消息告诉了全村的人.
* Did she tell you her name? 她告诉你姓名了吗?
* They've told us (that) they're not coming. 他们已跟我们说过不来了.
* Tell me where you live. 把你的住处告诉我.
* I can't tell you (ie I can't find words to express) how happy I am. 我真不知道怎么表达我的快乐.
* So I've been told, ie That is what I've been told. 那就是我听说的事.
2 [Dn.n, Dn.f, Dn.w, Dn.t] give information to (sb) 向（某人）提供情况或信息
*a book which will tell you all you need to know about personal taxation 说明个人纳税须知的书
* This gauge tells you the amount of petrol you have left/how much petrol you have left. 这计量表可指示还剩多少汽油.3 [Tn] express (sth) in words; utter 说（某事）; 讲; 述
*tell the truth/lies/a lie 说实话[谎/谎话]
* (dated 旧) tell (ie reveal) one's love 泄露个人的情人. =>Usage at say 用法见say.
4 [I] reveal a secret 泄露秘密
*Promise you won't tell. 你要保证不泄密.
* (infml 口) kiss and tell, ie reveal one's love affairs 吐露个人的风流韵事.
5 (a) [I, Tf, Tw] decide or determine; know definitely 决定; 决心; 肯定; 确定
*It may rain or it may not. It's hard to tell. 天也许下雨, 也许不下. 说不准.
* You can tell (that) he's angry when he starts shouting a lot. 他什么时候一大喊大叫, 肯定是生气了.
* How do you tell when to change gear? 你怎么确定何时换挡?
* The only way to tell if you like something is by trying it. 要确定是否喜欢某事物, 唯一的办法是试一下.
(b) [Tn, Tn.pr, Tw] ~ A from B (esp with can/could/be able to 尤与can/could/be able to连用) distinguish A from B 辨认A和B; 辨别; 识别
*I can't tell the difference between margarine and butter, ie can't identify them by their tastes. 我尝不出人造黄油和黄油有什么区别.
* Can you tell Tom from his twin brother? 你能分辨出汤姆和他的孪生兄弟吗?
* These kittens look exactly alike how can you tell which is which? 这些小猫看上去一模一样--你怎么能分出哪个是哪个?
6 [I, Ipr] ~ (on sb) produce a noticeableeffect 产生能觉察出的效果; 起明显作用
*Every blow told. 每一击都打中了.
* The government's policies are beginning to tell. 政府的政策开始发挥作用了.
* All this hard work is telling on him, ie affecting his health, etc. 这些繁重的工作他已吃不消了（影响着他的健康等）.
* Herlack of experience told against her, ie was a disadvantage to her. 她缺乏经验, 这对她很不利.
7 [Dn.t, Dn.w] order or direct (sb) 吩咐, 命令（某人）
*Tell him to wait. 叫他等一等.
* Do what I tell you. 照我的吩咐做.
* Children must do as they're told. 孩子必须听话.
* You won't be told (ie won't obey orders or listen to advice), will you? 你不听话（不服从命令或不听从劝告）, 是不是? =>Usage at order2 用法见order2.
8 [Tn] (arch 古) count the number of (sth) 数（某物）的数目; 计算
*tell one's beads, ie say prayers while counting the beads on a rosary 边数念珠边祈祷.
9 (idm 习语) all told with all people, items, etc counted and included 将所有的人、项目等都计算在内; 总共
*There are
23 guests coming, all told. 总共来了23位客人. dead men tell no tales => dead. hear tell of sb/sth => hear. I/I'll ,tell you `what (infml 口) (used to introduce a suggestion 用以提出建议)
*I'll tell you what let's ask Fred to lend us his car. 我说--咱们去找弗雷德借汽车吧. I `told you (so) (infml 口) I warned you that this would happen 我提醒过你要出事; 我早就跟你说过
*He loves to say `I told you so!' when things go wrong. 只要一出事他就爱说｀我早就跟你说过吧!＇ ,live, etc to ,tell the `tale survive a difficult or dangerous experience so that one can tell others what really happened 脱离困境或险境後向他人讲述事情的原委. tell/know A and B apart => apart. tell me a`nother! (infml 口) I don't believe you 我不相信. tell/see sth a mile off => mile. tell its own tale explain itself, without need of further explanation or comment 本身即可说明问题
*The many crashes on the icy roads told their own tale. 路上结冰发生多起撞车事故, 路面情况已不言而喻. tell `tales (aboutsb) make known another person's secrets, misdeeds, faults, etc 揭人隐密; 揭人之短
*Someone's been telling tales about me, haven't they? 有人总在揭我的短处, 是不是? tell `that to the marines! (sl 俚) I don't believe you 我不相信. tell the `time (US tell `time) read the time from a clock, etc 说出钟表等指示的时间
*She's only five she can't tell the time yet. 她才五岁--还不会看表. tell sb ,where to get `off/,where he gets`off (infml 口) warn sb that his behaviour is unacceptableand will no longer be tolerated 警告某人其行为已令人无法忍受. ,tell the `world announce sth publicly 将某事公之于世. there is ,no `telling it is impossible to know 不可能知道
*There's no telling what may happen. 不可能知道会发生什么事.
* As to his plans, there's simply no telling. 至于他的计画, 根本就无法得知. to ,tell (you) the `truth (used to introduce a confession or an admission 用以引出自白或承认的话)
*To tell the truth, I fell asleep in the middle. 老实说, 我在中间睡着了. you can ,never `tell; you ,never can `tell you can never be sure, eg because appearances are often deceptive 谁也不知道（如因外表常靠不住）. you're telling `me! (infml 口) I completely agree with you 这还用你说; 我早就知道.
10 (phr v) tell sb off (for sth/doing sth) (infml 口) scold or reprimand sb 斥责或责骂某人
*You'll get told off if you're caught doing that. 要是发现你做那种事, 你就得挨骂.
* I told the boys off for making so much noise. 那些男孩子很吵闹, 我把他们骂了一顿. tell sb off for sth/to do sth (fml 文) assign (a task or duty) to sb 给某人指定（任务或差事）
*Six men were told off to collect fuel. 派了六个人去收集燃料. tell on sb (infml 口) reveal sb's activities, esp to a person in authority 揭发某人的活动（尤指向负责人报告）
*John caught his sister smoking and told on her. 约翰发现他姐姐吸烟就给告了一状.

v past tense and past participletold [təuld (US) tould/