telling

Definitions

tell + -ing started as plain 'the act of telling.' But a detail that, once told, gives away far more than intended became the core image, so the adjective shifted to 'revealing, significant': a telling silence tells on you without anyone meaning it to.

Why It Means This

The shift from 'narrating' to 'revealing' happens because telling something can betray more than you planned. A telling remark isn't just spoken — it exposes the speaker's real feelings. That's why telling now usually means 'tellingly informative,' not merely 'spoken.'

Common Collocations

• 1.telling sign明显的迹象
• 2.telling detail耐人寻味的细节
• 3.telling remark意味深长的话
• 4.telling silence意味深长的沉默

Example Sentences

• 1.

  His nervous laugh was a telling sign that he was hiding something.

• 2.

  The most telling detail in her account was the missing receipt.

• 3.

  The criticism landed with telling effect on the panel.

Easily Confused

telling vs revealing — both mean 'giving information away,' but telling stresses that a small thing exposes a larger truth (a telling pause), while revealing stresses that something hidden is now shown (a revealing dress, a revealing interview). Small clue → telling; uncovering → revealing.