tell you the truth
Used to positively assert the frank honesty of an associated statement of set of statements; equivalent to "to you tell the truth".
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“To tell you the truth, I am very tired today.”
“I did not enjoy the movie, and to tell you the truth, I think we should have stayed home.”
“While he offered a polite smile, he decided that, to tell you the truth, he could no longer support the company's current direction.”
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a little bird told me
I received the information from a source which I am not prepared to disclose.
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all told
With everything included, counted, or summed; in total.
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bend the truth
To change or leave out certain facts of a story or situation, generally in order to elicit a specific response in the audience.
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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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economical with the truth
Not telling the whole truth, especially in order to present a false image of a situation; untruthful; lying. Often used with sarcasm or satire.
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God's honest truth
Unquestionable, absolute truth.
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grain of truth
Synonym of kernel of truth.
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I can tell you
Emphasises the truth of a statement.
Last updated August 10, 2026