tell tales out of school
To reveal confidential or sensitive information; to gossip.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Please do not tell tales out of school about our private meeting.”
“He promised to keep the news secret, but he could not resist telling tales out of school to his coworkers.”
“She was careful never to tell tales out of school, knowing that sharing internal company secrets would surely lead to her immediate dismissal.”
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a little bird told me
I received the information from a source which I am not prepared to disclose.
- 02
all told
With everything included, counted, or summed; in total.
- 03
cautionary tale
A story, originally told in folklore, to warn its audience of a certain danger.
- 04
don't tell me
Used to introduce a guess at a fact or situation, as if forestalling the other speaker's utterance.
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I can tell you
Emphasises the truth of a statement.
- 06
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.
- 07
I tell you
Synonym of I can tell you.
- 08
I'll tell you
Synonym of I can tell you.
Last updated August 10, 2026