verb

1. (archaic outside of idioms) To count, reckon, or enumerate.

   “All told, there were over a dozen.  Can you tell time on a clock?  He had untold wealth.”

2. To narrate.

   “I want to tell a story;  I want to tell you a story.”

3. To convey by speech; to say.

   “Finally, someone told him the truth.  He seems to like to tell lies.”

Synonyms: count, number, grass up, snitch, tattle, narrate, recount, relate

adjective

1. Having force, or having a marked effect; weighty, effective.

   “a telling blow”

2. Revealing information; bearing significance.

   “a telling smile”

3. Serving to convince.

   “telling evidence”