telling
From WikiWord, the free dictionary
/ˈtɛlɪŋ/
English
Definitions
verb
- (archaic outside of idioms) To count, reckon, or enumerate.“All told, there were over a dozen. Can you tell time on a clock? He had untold wealth.”
- To narrate.“I want to tell a story; I want to tell you a story.”
- To convey by speech; to say.“Finally, someone told him the truth. He seems to like to tell lies.”
- To instruct or inform.“Please tell me how to do it.”
adjective
- Having force, or having a marked effect; weighty, effective.“a telling blow”
- Revealing information; bearing significance.“a telling smile”
- Serving to convince.“telling evidence”
noun
- The act of narration.
- The disclosure of information.
- Counting, numbering.
- (usually in the negative) Ability to determine.
Related words
Synonyms
countnumbergrass upsnitchtattlenarraterecountrelatedisclosemake knownadviseappriseforcefulimpressiveeffectiveeffectualefficaciousrevealing