Library / English Dictionary

TELL ON

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Produce an effect or strain on somebody

Example:

Each step told on his tired legs

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "tell on" is one way to...):

affect; bear on; bear upon; impact; touch; touch on (have an effect upon)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Give away information about somebody

Example:

He told on his classmate who had cheated on the exam

Synonyms:

betray; denounce; give away; grass; rat; shit; shop; snitch; stag; tell on

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "tell on" is one way to...):

inform (impart knowledge of some fact, state of affairs, or event to)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "tell on"):

sell someone out (give information that compromises others)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Credits