- To tell tale of
- Tale Tale, n. [AS. talu number, speech, narrative; akin to D.
taal speech, language, G. zahl number, OHG. zala, Icel. tal,
tala, number, speech, Sw. tal, Dan. tal number, tale speech,
Goth. talzjan to instruct. Cf. {Tell}, v. t., {Toll} a tax,
also {Talk}, v. i.]
1. That which is told; an oral relation or recital; any
rehearsal of what has occured; narrative; discourse;
statement; history; story. ``The tale of Troy divine.''
--Milton. ``In such manner rime is Dante's tale.''
--Chaucer.
[1913 Webster]
We spend our years as a tale that is told. --Ps. xc. 9. [1913 Webster]
2. A number told or counted off; a reckoning by count; an enumeration; a count, in distinction from measure or weight; a number reckoned or stated. [1913 Webster]
The ignorant, . . . who measure by tale, and not by weight. --Hooker. [1913 Webster]
And every shepherd tells his tale, Under the hawthornn in the dale. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
In packing, they keep a just tale of the number. --Carew. [1913 Webster]
3. (Law) A count or declaration. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
{To tell tale of}, to make account of. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
Therefore little tale hath he told Of any dream, so holy was his heart. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
Syn: Anecdote; story; fable; incident; memoir; relation; account; legend; narrative. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.