tell off

tell ¹  (tl)

v. told (tld), tell·ing, tells

v.tr.

1. To give a detailed account of; narrate: tell what happened; told us a story.

2. To communicate by speech or writing; express with words: tell the truth; tell one's love.

3. To make known; reveal: tell a secret; tell fortunes.

4. To notify; inform.

5. To inform positively; assure: I tell you, the plan will work.

6. To give instructions to; direct: told the customers to wait in line.

7. To discover by observation; discern: could tell that he was upset.

8. To name or number one by one; count: telling one's blessings; 16 windows, all told.

v.intr.

1. To give an account or revelation: is prepared to break silence and tell.

2. To give evidence; inform: promised not to tell on her friend.

3. To have an effect or impact: In this game every move tells.

Phrasal Verb:

tell off Informal

To rebuke severely; reprimand.

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[Middle English tellen, from Old English tellan; see del-² in Indo-European roots.]

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tella·ble adj.

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tell off

Verb

Informal to reprimand or scold (someone)

telling-off n

Thesaurus

Verb

1.

tell off - reprimand; "She told the misbehaving student off" brush down call on the carpet, chew out, chew up, chide, dress down, have words, bawl out, berate, rebuke, reproof, scold, take to task, call down, lambast, lambaste, lecture, reprimand, remonstrate, trounce, jaw, rag - censure severely or angrily; "The mother scolded the child for entering a stranger's car"; "The deputy ragged the Prime Minister"; "The customer dressed down the waiter for bringing cold soup"