| 释义 |
tell-
the stem of tell v. in combination with a n. (in objective or attributive relation), used as n. or adj.: tell-all a. and n., (an account which is) revelatory, tending to disclose private information; cf. tell v. 5 a.; tell-box, tell-card, contrivances used by card-sharpers, to enable them to turn up a particular card; † tell-cause, Rhet.: see quot.; † tell-clock, one who ‘tells the clock’: see tell v. 21 c (b); an idler who merely marks time; tell-fare = tell-tale 2 f; † tell-love: see quot.; tell-pie, tell-piet, a tale-bearer: cf. tale-piet, tale n. 10. See also tell-tale, tell-truth.
1959J. Fingleton Four Chukkas to Australia (1960) i. 2 This position—in cricket and other sports—has been aggravated by the flood of ‘*tell-all’ books. 1974Nat. Geogr. Mag. Dec. 851/2 A tell-all historian of the time reported that the prince loved to drink and was notably fond of women. 1976Publishers Weekly 7 June 68/1 This man's sometimes engrossing, frenetic, first-person tell-all. 1978in K. Hudson Jargon of Professions iii. 64 A totally engrossing tell-all. Few autobiographies convey so intimately what is involved in creativity.
1865Athenæum No. 1941. 13/1 This simple *tell-a-story style.
1894Maskelyne Sharps & Flats viii. 194 The contrivances..are known as ‘*tell-boxes’.
Ibid., Any card which lies immediately upon the smooth face of a ‘*tell-card’ will slip easily.
1589Puttenham Eng. Poesie iii. xix. (Arb.) 236 This assignation of cause the Greekes called Etiologia, which if we might without scorne of a new inuented terme call *Tell cause it were right according to the Greeke originall.
1609Ellesmere Sp. on Post-nati 17 They are called thither by the Kings Writ, not to sit as *Tell-clockes, or idle hearers. 1618S. Ward Jethro's Justice (1627) 65 Is there no meane betweene busiebodies and tell-clocks, between factotum and fay't neant?
1865Gaskell (title) Patent Cab Indicator, or *Tell-Fare.
1640Erotomania 176 Poppy..Theocritus cals this hearb τηλίϕιλον..as if we should say, *Tel-loue.
1828Craven Gloss., *Tell-pye, a tell-tale. 1897Sarah Grand Beth Bk. xii, If you tell secrets, you know, you're a tell-pie. Ibid. xv, Don't you be put upon by tell-pie-tits.
1855Robinson Whitby Gloss., *Tell-pyet or Telly-pie, a tale-bearer, a tell-tale. |