tell a/the tale
tell a/the tale
To depict or reveal the truth about a situation. The report tells a tale of corruption and abuse that has rocked the film industry to its core. The marauding soldiers ensured no civilians survived who could tell the tale.
See also: tale, tell
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
tell the tale
If something tells the tale about a particular situation, it shows the truth about it. Had he been fired from all of those jobs, or had he quit? I went through the papers again, looking for references that might tell the tale. Note: You can also say that something tells its own tale. A full 60 minutes without a point is a statistic that tells its own tale. Note: People also use the much more frequent adjective tell-tale to mean the same thing. They wanted to surprise the man and not give him time to hide any tell-tale evidence. In every room are tell-tale signs of a once better life.
See also: tale, tell
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
- tell the tale
- tell the same tale (of something)
- tell the same tale/story
- tell the same story (of something)
- depict
- depict (one) as (something)
- depict as
- make much play of (something)
- make much play with (something)
- represent (someone or something) as (something)