Definition

1. Noun (plural form of "tale"):
   • Narrative accounts: "tales" refers to stories, either true or fictional, that are told or written.
   • Legal term: In law, "tales" (pronounced /ˈteɪliːz/) refers to a list of people summoned to serve as jurors when the original panel is insufficient.

Usage Examples

• Narrative:

  • She told us tales of her childhood adventures. (Stories about her past experiences.)
  • The book is a collection of folk tales from around the world. (Traditional stories passed down through generations.)

• Legal:

  • The court ordered a tales to fill the vacant jury seats. (A supplementary list of jurors was summoned.)
  • The clerk prepared the tales for the trial. (The list of additional potential jurors.)

Advanced Usage

• "fairy tales": stories involving magical creatures and events, often for children.

  • The children loved hearing fairy tales before bed. (Magical stories like Cinderella or Snow White.)

• "tall tales": exaggerated or improbable stories.

  • He told tall tales about catching a fish as big as a boat. (Exaggerated, humorous stories.)

• "old wives' tales": traditional beliefs or superstitions, often unscientific.

  • She dismissed the claim as an old wives' tale. (A piece of folklore or mistaken belief.)

Variants and Related Words

• Tale (n, singular): a story or narrative.

  • Each tale has a moral lesson. (Every story teaches something.)

• Teller (n): a person who tells stories.

  • The tale teller captivated the audience. (The storyteller held everyone's attention.)

Synonyms

• Story: an account of imaginary or real events.
• Narrative: a spoken or written account of connected events.
• Anecdote: a short, amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person.

Phrasal Verbs

Related Idioms

• "Tell tales": to reveal secrets or gossip about someone.

  • Stop telling tales about your classmates! (Stop spreading gossip or secrets.)

• "Dead men tell no tales": a proverb meaning that those who are killed cannot reveal secrets.

  • The villain believed that dead men tell no tales. (He thought killing witnesses would keep his crimes hidden.)