tell on
Third Person
tells on
Present Participle
telling on
Past Tense
told on
Past Participle
told on
1
to give away information one has obtained about someone, particularly to someone in authority
The idiom "tell on" is derived from the literal meaning of the words. To "tell on" someone means to report their actions or misdeeds to an authority figure or someone in a position of control or responsibility. Its origin is likely rooted in the natural human tendency to inform others about wrongdoing or suspicious behavior, particularly when it affects one's well-being or interests. It is frequently used in the context of children reporting on their peers or siblings, but it can apply to people of all ages.
- He told on his classmates when he saw them cheating on the test.
- Don't tell on me!I'll share my candy with you if you keep it a secret.
- She told on her brother for sneaking out of the house at night.
- The employee told on her coworker for consistently arriving late to work.
- I won't tell on you for accidentally breaking the vase if you help me clean it up.
2
(of an experience or a period of time) to affect someone, often in a negative way
- The stress from work was telling on her health.
- Long hours of studying began to tell on his performance in school.
- The continuous exposure to loud noises began to tell on his hearing.
- The difficult living conditions started to tell on their overall well-being.
- The extreme weather conditions were telling on the health of the community.