telling
part of speech
adjective (telling, more telling, most telling); also the present participle and gerund of «tell» (tell, tells, told, telling); noun (a telling, tellings)
meaning for a pupil
1) (verb form) Saying or reporting something: «She is telling a story». tree →
2) (adjective) Showing something important, often more than people meant to show: «a telling remark». tree →
3) (adjective) Having a strong effect: «a telling blow». tree →
4) (noun) The act of telling a story: «In this telling of the tale, the wolf is kind». tree →
5) (phrase) «telling off» = a scolding (UK, Australia); «that's telling him» = a sharp reply; «there's no telling» = no way to know. tree →
6) "Did not need twice telling" means a person did what they were asked straight away. tree →
sense in the lessons
Interpretation: The word root S-P-R in Hebrew means counting, writing and telling. Sefer Yetzirah says God made the world with these three, and the tradition reads this as a link between numbers, books and speech. In the Psalms, telling the next generation God's praises is a duty, and tradition reads it as passing the faith from parents to children. In the primary lessons: In stories and English lessons: a telling detail shows a character's feelings or a clue. In everyday life: «I got a telling-off for being late». In maths problems «telling» can mean what information you are given. Phrases: «telling the time», «telling off», «there's no telling», «a telling sign».
examples
- However, only one, ספ״ר SPR, is capable of describing all three: counting (סָפַר safar 'he counted', מִסְפָּר mispar 'number, count'), writing (סֵפֶר sefer 'book, scroll'), and speaking (סִפֵּר sipper 'he told, accounted', סִפּוּר sippur 'telling, account'). (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation) tree →
- and he charged the messenger, saying: 'When thou hast made an end of telling all the things concerning the war unto the king, (Prophets 2SA.11.19, JPS 1917) tree →
- We will not hide from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and His strength, and His wondrous works that He hath done. (Writings PSA.78.4, JPS 1917) tree →
- Grandad is telling us a story about the war. tree →
- She said nothing, but her silence was telling. tree →
- The muddy footprints were a telling clue. tree →
- I got a telling-off from Mum for leaving my bike out. tree →
- There's no telling what the cat will do next. tree →
- In this telling of Cinderella, the stepsisters are nice. tree →
- We are learning telling the time in class. tree →
- The man did not need twice telling. tree →
note
«Telling» as an adjective is not about speaking: «a telling look» shows something without words. «Telling off» (noun, UK/Aus) = a scolding; the verb is «tell someone off». «Tell» past: told (not «telled»).
In the corpora
- Many parents wait about three months before telling people, because the early weeks are the most uncertain.
- Afterwards everyone goes to the pub, and some people even laugh while telling stories about Grandad.
- Before passing a story on, check it: a small nip can become a horror story in three tellings.
- Telling a trusted adult that someone may be in danger is not gossip; it helps.
- Keeping it a secret usually makes the feeling heavier; telling makes it lighter.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «telling» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.