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tell fortunes

idiom
Meaning

To tell someone's destiny or future, usually by magic.


Examples
SIMPLE

She likes to tell fortunes with a deck of cards.

CONTEXTUAL

The woman at the fair offered to tell fortunes for a small fee.

COMPLEX

The mysterious traveler claimed to tell fortunes by reading the stars, drawing a large crowd of curious villagers to the town square.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    a little bird told me

    I received the information from a source which I am not prepared to disclose.

  2. 02

    all told

    With everything included, counted, or summed; in total.

  3. 03

    don't tell me

    Used to introduce a guess at a fact or situation, as if forestalling the other speaker's utterance.

  4. 04

    I can tell you

    Emphasises the truth of a statement.

  5. 05

    I tell a lie

    I am mistaken; I thought that what I said (or wrote) was true, but I have just realised that it is not.

  6. 06

    I tell you

    Synonym of I can tell you.

  7. 07

    I'll tell you

    Synonym of I can tell you.

  8. 08

    kiss and tell

    To betray a confidence by disclosing private information, especially of a sexual nature.

Last updated April 17, 2026