Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, 11th Edition
TELL
I. verb (told; telling)
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English tellan; akin to Old High German zellen to count, tell, Old English talu tale Date: before 12th century transitive verb count , enumerate ,
2. to relate in detail ; narrate , to give utterance to ; say ,
3. to make known ; divulge , reveal , to express in words ,
4. to give information to ; inform , to assure emphatically , order , direct , to find out by observing ; recognize , intransitive verb to give an account , to act as an informer, to have a marked effect , to serve as evidence or indication, see: reveal
II. noun
Etymology: Arabic tall
Date: 1864
hill , mound