Word

tell, v.
(telling, tells, told)
freq. cnt. 560

express in words
<verb.communication> freq. cnt.: 2,130 freq. cnt.: 1,861 freq. cnt.: 196 freq. cnt.: 73

say state tell

sample sentences

"He said that he wanted to marry her"
"tell me what is bothering you"
"state your opinion"
"state your name"

verb frames

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

verb frames

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
They %s that there was a traffic accident

verb frames

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
They %s that there was a traffic accident

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

say

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

telling teller

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

statement statement

semantic pointers

hyponym

present, represent, lay out misstate answer, reply, respond preface, precede, premise, introduce announce, declare enunciate, articulate, vocalize, vocalise get out declare declare note, remark, observe, mention add, supply, append explain give summarize, summarise, sum, sum up

hypernym

express, utter, verbalize, verbalise, give tongue to

verb group

say

let something be known
<verb.communication> freq. cnt.: 189 freq. cnt.: 189

tell

sample sentences

"Tell them that you will be late"

verb frames

Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

tale

also see

tell off

semantic pointers

hyponym

digress, stray, divagate, wander indicate, signal, bespeak, point, betoken disclose, reveal, expose, discover, give away, break, let out, let on, divulge, unwrap, bring out, uncover talk, spill publicize, publicise, air, bare repeat, reiterate, restate, ingeminate, iterate, retell propagandize, propagandise announce, herald, annunciate, harbinger, foretell give, impart, leave, pass on

hypernym

inform

narrate or give a detailed account of
<verb.communication> freq. cnt.: 85 freq. cnt.: 75 freq. cnt.: 10

narrate recite recount tell

sample sentences

"Tell what happened"
"The father told a story to his child"

verb frames

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody something
Somebody ----s something to somebody
They won't %s the story

verb frames

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s something to somebody
They won't %s the story

verb frames

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s something to somebody
They won't %s the story

verb frames

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s something to somebody
The parents %s a French poem to the children

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

tale telling teller

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

recounting

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

narrative narration narration narration narrator

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

recital recital

semantic pointers

hypernym

inform

hyponym

relate crack yarn rhapsodize, rhapsodise

give instructions to or direct somebody to do something with authority
<verb.communication> freq. cnt.: 97 freq. cnt.: 60 freq. cnt.: 28 freq. cnt.: 8 freq. cnt.: 1

enjoin order say tell

sample sentences

"I said to him to go home"
"She ordered him to do the shopping"
"The mother told the child to get dressed"

verb frames

Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
They %s him to write the letter

verb frames

Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
They %s him to write the letter

verb frames

Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

verb frames

Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
They %s him to write the letter

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

order order

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

injunction

semantic pointers

hypernym

request

hyponym

direct instruct require, command call, send for warn prescribe

discern or comprehend
<verb.cognition> freq. cnt.: 27 freq. cnt.: 27

tell

sample sentences

"He could tell that she was unhappy"

verb frames

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

semantic pointers

hypernym

guess, infer

inform positively and with certainty and confidence
<verb.communication> freq. cnt.: 15 freq. cnt.: 9 freq. cnt.: 6

assure tell

sample sentences

"I tell you that man is a crook!"

verb frames

Somebody ----s somebody of something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

verb frames

Somebody ----s somebody of something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

semantic pointers

hypernym

swear, assert, affirm, swan, verify, avow, aver

give evidence
<verb.communication> freq. cnt.: 5 freq. cnt.: 4 freq. cnt.: 1

evidence tell

sample sentences

"he was telling on all his former colleague"

verb frames

Somebody ----s

verb frames

Somebody ----s

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

telling

also see

tell apart

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

evidence

semantic pointers

hypernym

inform

mark as different
<verb.cognition> freq. cnt.: 29 freq. cnt.: 15 freq. cnt.: 7 freq. cnt.: 4 freq. cnt.: 3

differentiate distinguish secern secernate separate severalise severalize tell tell apart