tell (Verb) — Express in words. ex. "tell me what is bothering you"
tell (Verb) — Let something be known. ex. "Tell them that you will be late"
tell (Verb) — Narrate or give a detailed account of. ex. "Tell what happened" ex. "The father told a story to his child"
tell (Verb) — Give instructions to or direct somebody to do something with authority. ex. "The mother told the child to get dressed"
tell (Verb) — Discern or comprehend. ex. "He could tell that she was unhappy"
tell (Verb) — Inform positively and with certainty and confidence. ex. "I tell you that man is a crook!"
tell (Verb) — Give evidence. ex. "he was telling on all his former colleague"
tell (Verb) — Mark as different. ex. "We tell apart several kinds of maple"
tell (Noun) — A Swiss patriot who lived in the early 14th century and who was renowned for his skill as an archer; according to legend an Austrian governor compelled him to shoot an apple from his son's head with his crossbow (which he did successfully without mishap).