telling
disclosing unintentionally something concealed
How often you will meet it
Rank 994 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 18,355 times across 155,139 chapters — 0.009% of every word in the library.
It belongs to the first 1,000 words, the band worth learning before any other.
What it means
adjective
- disclosing unintentionally something concealed also: revealing, telltale a telling smilea telltale panel of lights
- powerfully persuasive also: cogent, weighty a cogent argumenta telling presentation
- producing a strong effect also: impressive gave an impressive performance as Othelloa telling gesture
noun
- an act of narration also: relation, recounting he was the hero according to his own relationhis endless recounting of the incident eventually became unbearable
- informing by words also: apprisal, notification
- disclosing information or giving evidence about another also: tattle, singing
telling 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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There's no telling what girls will do anyway.
The Dutch Twins · Lucy Fitch Perkins · Chapter 1
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Look here, Verney; I feel like telling you about it.
The Hill: A Romance of Friendship · Horace Annesley Vachell · Chapter 1
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On most days the children would be telling their mother about the happenings of the morning.
Cornelli · Johanna Spyri · Chapter 1
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Ralph quieted him as well as he could, telling him to leave this thing to him.
The Shadow of a Crime: A Cumbrian Romance · Hall, Sir Caine · Chapter 1
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And, as I had full confidence in his kindness, I went on telling him the story of my life.
Other People's Money · Emile Gaboriau · Chapter 1