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)
"The historical account of Tell describes how the legendary Swiss archer famously shot an apple off his son's head under a governor's threat."
A reflexive, often habitual behavior, especially one occurring in a context that often features attempts at deception by persons under psychological stress (such as a poker game or police interrogation), that reveals information that the person exhibiting the behavior is attempting to withhold.
"The archaeologists spent weeks excavating artifacts from an ancient tell that rose prominently above the modern city."
A hill or mound, originally and especially in the Middle East, over or consisting of the ruins of ancient settlements.
In plain English: A tell is a small clue that gives away someone's secret or true feelings.
"She decided to tell him the truth about what happened yesterday."
Usage: Use "tell" primarily in contexts involving games of chance like poker or high-stakes interrogations where someone's involuntary actions betray their hidden intentions. Avoid using this term for general deception, as it specifically refers to non-verbal cues rather than spoken lies.
mark as different
"We distinguish several kinds of maple"
To count, reckon, or enumerate.
"She told me exactly how many times she had visited Paris before we even asked."
In plain English: To tell someone something is to share information with them directly.
"Can you tell me where the nearest train station is?"
A surname.
"The Tell family has lived on that hill for generations."
The word "tell" comes from Old English and originally meant to count or enumerate. It traveled into modern English with this same core meaning of counting numbers.