Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word
tell tales out of school. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
tell tales out of school, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
tell tales out of school in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
tell tales out of school you have here. The definition of the word
tell tales out of school will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
tell tales out of school, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Alternative forms
Pronunciation
Verb
tell tales out of school (third-person singular simple present tells tales out of school, present participle telling tales out of school, simple past and past participle told tales out of school)
- (idiomatic) To reveal confidential or sensitive information; to gossip.
1831 April 27, “Court of Aldermen”, in The Times, page 4:I see then we have both been at school. But did you never, when you were there, hear it said, "Tell no tales out of school?"
1857, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 8, in The Virginians:Mr. Washington had seen the gentlemen of honour and fashion over their cups, and perhaps thought that all their sayings and doings were not precisely such as would tend to instruct or edify a young man on his entrance into life; but he wisely chose to tell no tales out of school.
1871, Louisa May Alcott, chapter 11, in Little Men:[T]he boys laughed and nudged one another, for it was evident that some one told tales out of school, else how could he know of the existence of these inconvenient treasures.
1884, Martha Finley, chapter 9, in Elsie at Nantucket:"But now maybe I'm telling tales out of school," he added, with a laugh. "I shouldn't like to get the little girl into trouble."
1907, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Shorty Stories: 1907 to 1908, published 2008, A Millionaire's Proposal:"Don't blush, Katherine, I am sure Mr. Willoughby won't tell any tales out of school to your old Valleyfield friends."
1997, Stephen King, Desperation, →ISBN, page 94:"He wound up in the emergency room three different times, twice in Connecticut and once down here. The first two were drug ODs. I'm not telling tales out of school, because all that's been reported—exhaustively—in the press."
2004 April 5, Peter Bailey, TIME, archived from the original on 2012 August 19:Bush's former Treasury Secretary, Paul O'Neill, told tales out of school, prompting hot denials—and an investigation of whether he disclosed classified information.
Synonyms
Translations
See also
References