tale
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
How often you will meet it
Rank 1,243 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 14,683 times across 175,173 chapters — 0.007% of every word in the library.
What it means
noun
- a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program also: narrative, narration, story his narrative was interestingDisney's stories entertain adults as well as children
- a trivial lie also: fib, story, tarradiddle, taradiddle he told a fib about eating his spinachhow can I stop my child from telling stories?
tale in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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We appointed a jury and wrestled with the tale.
Following the Equator — Part 1 · Mark Twain · Chapter 1
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No tale was too gross or monstrous for his capacious swallow.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow · Washington Irving · Chapter 1
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Editorial notes: Daniel Defoe's tale of Robinson Crusoe was first published in 1719.
The Life and Most Surprising Adventures · Daniel Defoe · Chapter 1
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And the tale was told by the family, in chorus, without politeness, interrupting freely.
The Courage of the Commonplace · Mary Raymond Shipman Andrews · Chapter 1
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Listen for a few moments to my tale of woe, and then say if you can strike a blow on my behalf.
Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890 · Various · Chapter 1