Definition, synonyms and related words
plural of tale
"The judge asked several tales from the pool of jurors who had just arrived at the courthouse for their shift."
A person available to fill vacancies in a jury.
In plain English: Tales are stories that people tell to entertain others.
"Grandparents loved to sit by the fire and tell tales of their childhood adventures."
Usage: Do not confuse this legal term with stories or legends; it refers specifically to individuals summoned as replacements when regular jurors are unavailable. Use only in formal court contexts where extra personnel are needed for trial proceedings.
Third-person singular simple present indicative form of tale
"The old storyteller weaves tales that transport listeners to distant lands."
In plain English: To tell stories to someone else.
"The magician told tales to the children in the theater."
The word tales comes from the Latin plural form talis, which originally meant "such persons." It traveled into English to refer to stories or accounts.