telltale
Meanings
noun
- One who divulges private information with intent to hurt others.
- An indicator, such as a warning light, that serves to warn of a hazard or problem.
- Something that serves to reveal something else.
- A movable piece of ivory, lead, or other material, connected to the bellows of an organ, whose position indicates when the wind is exhausted.
- A length of yarn or ribbon attached to a sail or shroud etc to indicate the direction of the flow of the air relative to the boat.
- A mechanical attachment to the steering wheel, which, in the absence of a tiller, shows the position of the helm.
- A compass in the cabin of a vessel, usually placed where the captain can see it at all hours, and thus inform himself of the vessel's course.
- A machine or contrivance for indicating or recording something, particularly for keeping a check upon employees (factory hands, watchmen, drivers, etc.) by revealing to their employers what they have done or omitted.
- A bird, the tattler.
- A story or fable that has a moral or message.
adj
- Revealing something, especially something not intended to be known.
Pronunciation
Word forms
Etymology
From tell + tale, perhaps dissimilated from earlier taleteller, from Middle English tale tellere (literally “tale teller”).
Synonyms
Related words
Derived words
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