tell

tell¹
(past and past participle told )

[reporting verb]communicate information, facts, or news to someone in spoken or written words
对…讲，与…说；告诉，告知
[with obj. and clause]I told her you were coming.
我跟她说你要来。
[with obj. and direct speech]‘We have nothing in common,’ she told him.
她对他说：“我们俩没有任何共同点。”。
[with obj.]he's telling the truth.
他在说实话。
[with two objs]we must be told the facts.
我们必须获知真相。
■[with obj. and infinitive]order, instruct, or advise someone to do something
命令，指示，吩咐
tell him to go away.
让他走开。
■[with obj.]narrate or relate (a tale or story)
讲，叙述（故事）
■[with obj.]reveal information to (someone) in a non-verbal way
显露，显示
the figures tell a different story.
数字显示的情况不同。
[with two objs]the smile on her face told him everything.
她脸上的微笑向他说明了一切。
■[no obj.]divulge confidential or private information
泄密；泄露
promise you won't tell.
你保证不泄密。
■[no obj.](tell on)(informal)inform someone of the misdemeanours of
(非正式)告发
friends don't tell on each other.
是朋友就不会互相告发。
[with clause]decide or determine correctly or with certainty
断定；判断
you can tell they're in love.
你可以断定他们在恋爱。
■[with obj. and adverbial]distinguish one person or thing from another; perceive the difference between one person or thing and another
区别，辨别，分辨，识别
I can't tell the difference between margarine and butter.
我无法区分人造奶油和黄油。
[no obj.](of an experience or period of time) have a noticeable, typically harmful, effect on someone
产生（不良）效果，发生（负面）影响
the strain of supporting the family was beginning to tell on him.
养家糊口的重负开始让他吃不消了。
■(of a particular factor) play a part in the success or otherwise of someone or something
（某种因素）影响，起作用
lack of fitness told against him on his first run of the season.
身体欠佳影响了他在赛季中的第一次赛跑。
[with obj.](archaic)count (the members of a series or group)
(古)数，计算
the shepherd had told all his sheep.
牧羊人清点了所有的羊。

常用词组
as far as one can tell

judging from the available information
根据现有的消息来判断

I tell you (或 I can tell you)

used to emphasize a statement
我可以肯定地说，确实
that took me by surprise, I can tell you!.
确实，那使我深感意外！。

I (或 I'll) tell you what

used to introduce a suggestion
我的主张（或意见、建议）是…；你听我说…
I tell you what, why don't we meet for lunch tomorrow?.
你听我说，为什么明天我们不碰头一块儿吃午餐呢？。

I told you (so)

used as a way of pointing out that one's warnings, although ignored, have been proved to be well founded
我早跟你说过的

tell one's beads

见 bead

tell someone's fortune

见 fortune

tell it like it is

(informal)describe the true facts of a situation no matter how unpleasant they may be
(非正式)如实说来，实事求是地说，说实话

tell its own tale (或 story)

be significant or revealing, without any further explanation or comment being necessary
不言而喻，显而易见，不言自明
the worried expression on Helen's face told its own tale.
海伦脸上焦急的表情不言而喻。

tell me about it

(informal)used as an ironic acknowledgement of one's familiarity with a difficult or unpleasant situation or experience described by someone else
(非正式)我早知道了；还用你告诉我

tell me another

(informal)used as an expression of disbelief or incredulity
(非正式)不见得吧；我不相信；哪有这种事，别胡说

tell something a mile off

见 mile

tell tales

make known or gossip about another person's secrets, wrongdoings, or faults
讲…的坏话；搬弄是非

tell that to the marines

见 marine

tell the time (或美 tell time)

be able to ascertain the time from reading the face of a clock or watch
会认钟，会看钟点

tell someone where to get off (或 where they get off)

(informal)angrily dismiss or rebuke someone
(非正式)严厉斥责，使碰一鼻子灰；叫…不要自以为了不起

tell someone where to put (或 what to do with) something

(informal)angrily or emphatically reject something
(非正式)断然拒绝，一口回绝
I told him what he could do with his diamond.
我断然拒绝他的钻石。

that would be telling

(informal)used to convey that one is not prepared to divulge secret or confidential information
(非正式)不走露风声；不泄密

there is no telling

used to convey the impossibility of knowing what has happened or will happen
不可知道；很难知道
there's no telling how she will react.
无法知道她的反应将会怎样。

to tell (you) the truth

used as a preface to a confession or admission of something
说实话，实话告诉（你）吧

you're telling me

(informal)used to emphasize that one is already well aware of something or in complete agreement with a statement
(非正式)还要你告诉我；我早就知道了；我完全同意你的说法

派生
tellable
adjective
语源

Old English tellan 'relate, count, estimate', of Germanic origin; related to German zählen 'reckon, count', erzählen 'recount, relate', also to tale

继承用法
tell someone off

(informal)reprimand or scold someone
(非正式)数落，责备
my parents told me off for coming home late.
父母责备我回家迟了。
assign a member of a group to a particular task
分派，分遣，指派
there used to be a chap told off every day to fetch us beer.
以前专门有个小伙子每天来为我们送啤酒。

tell²
noun

(Archaeology)(in the Middle East) an artificial mound formed by the accumulated remains of ancient settlements
(考古)（中东）台形（土墩）遗址（由远古人遗骸堆积而成）

语源

mid 19th cent.: from Arabic tall 'hillock'

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