tale

/teil/

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Word: Tale

Part of Speech: Noun

Definition: A "tale" is a story that can be about anything. It can be fictional (not real) or based on real events. Tales can be entertaining, teaching a lesson, or simply sharing an experience.

Usage Instructions:

You can use the word "tale" when you want to talk about a story, especially one that has elements of adventure, fantasy, or a moral lesson.

Examples:

1. Simple Example: "Once upon a time, there was a brave knight who went on a quest. This is a tale about his adventures."
2. In Context: "My grandmother tells a wonderful tale about her childhood during the war."

Advanced Usage:

In literature, a "tale" can refer to a specific type of narrative that often has a moral or lesson at the end. For example, fairy tales are a well-known genre that includes stories like "Cinderella" and "Snow White."

Word Variants:

• Tales (plural): More than one story.
  • Example: "The book contains several tales from different cultures."
• Teller (noun): A person who tells tales or stories.
  • Example: "She is a skilled tale teller, captivating her audience with every word."

Different Meanings:

1. Simple Story: A tale can just mean a simple story, either true or false.
   • Example: "He told a tale about how he once caught a giant fish."
2. Lie or Fabrication: Sometimes, "tale" can refer to a fib or a lie, especially in the phrase "tale bearing," which means spreading gossip about someone.
   • Example: "Don't believe his tales; he often exaggerates."

Synonyms:

• Story
• Narrative
• Fable (especially if it has a moral lesson)
• Legend (usually a traditional story)

Idioms:

• "Tell tales out of school": This means to reveal secrets or gossip that should not be shared.
  • Example: "Be careful not to tell tales out of school; some things are private."

Phrasal Verb:

• There isn't a specific phrasal verb directly associated with "tale," but you can often say "tell a tale," which means to narrate or recount a story.

Academic

Noun

1. a trivial lie
   • he told a fib about eating his spinach
   • how can I stop my child from telling stories?
2. a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
   • his narrative was interesting
   • Disney's stories entertain adults as well as children

Synonyms

• fib
• story
• tarradiddle
• taradiddle
• narrative
• narration