telltale
1
6.8
- noun
- /ˈtɛlˌteɪl/
- Informal
:
soplón
- The child was known as a telltale because he couldn't keep secrets about his friends.
Examples
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Being labeled a telltale made it hard for her to fit in with her classmates after she reported the bullying.
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She warned him not to trust that telltale, as he often informed the teacher about their mischief.
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One telltale sign: the more attractive she is, the more you hate her.
Blog text (32) -
Which of the following defines the word "telltale"?
Fiction book (2002) -
- Telltale traces of cyanide.
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Edgar Allan Poe's Telltale Heart was published in a translation.
Academic text (1999)
Synonyms
10
7.5
A person who talks too much and tells other people's secrets
9
6.9
A person, usually a child, who tells an adult about others' bad behavior to get them in trouble
1
8.1
A person who tells secrets about other people
1
9.9
A person who spreads gossip or secrets to hurt others
A person who tells other people's secrets and spreads rumors
Compounds
How Revealing
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Telltale comes from tell and tale, meaning 'to tell a story'. A telltale is someone who 'tells' on others or reveals secrets, so the word is often used as an insult for a child who reports what others do.