tell

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology | 1996 | 470 words | Copyright

tell pt., pp. told
A. mention in order, narrate OE.;

B. make known, declare; inform; relate OE.; (arch., exc. in all told, untold wealth, tell one's beads), mention numerically, count OE.; be of account (e.g. in telling ppl. adj.) XVII. OE. tellan = OS. tellian, (M)LG., (M)Du. tellen, OHG. zellen (G. zählen reckon, count), ON. telja :- Gmc. *taljan, f. *talō TALE.

Hence teller one who relates XIII; one who keeps tally XV; one selected to count votes XVII.

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T. F. HOAD. "tell." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "tell." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-tell.html

T. F. HOAD. "tell." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-tell.html

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