tale

Pluraltales

Formstales, taling, taled

1. 1
   nouncountable

   A story, or someone's account of what happened, whether it is true or made up.

   Like a bedtime story someone reads to you before sleep.

   Grandpa told us a tale about his childhood on the farm.

   The old sailor's tales kept the children awake all night.

   UsagePeople tell a tale. Tale often sounds more like a word used in books than story.

   Similarstory, narrative, account

   Note
2. 2
   false rumornouncountable

   A false or unkind story spread about someone, such as a lie or piece of gossip.

   Like gossip that spreads from one person to the next.

   Don't believe every tale you hear about the new neighbors.

   He spread tales about his coworker to win the promotion.

   UsageTell tales means tell bad stories about other people.

   Similarrumor, story, lie, falsehood

   Note
3. 3
   nounarchaiccountable

   An old word for the number or total of things counted, or an amount that must be supplied.

   They proceeded with some rigour, these Custodiars; took written inventories, clapt-on seals, exacted everywhere strict tale and measure

   1843, Thomas Carlyle, Past and PresentHere, tale means a count or total, so things were strictly counted and measured.

   Note

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