telltale

views updated May 21 2018

tell·tale / ˈtelˌtāl/ • adj. revealing, indicating, or betraying something: the telltale bulge of a concealed weapon.• n. 1. a person, esp. a child, who reports others' wrongdoings or reveals their secrets.2. a device or object that automatically gives a visual indication of the state or presence of something. ∎  (on a sailboat) a piece of string or fabric that shows the direction and force of the wind.