tell about/of

1. 讲述

The witness was telling about the whole accident.

目击者正在讲述整个事故的过程。

tell against

1. 对……有不利影响

Will my bad handwriting tell against me in the test?

我的字写得很糟会影响我的考试成绩吗?

tell apart

1. 分辨

Can you tell the twin sisters apart?

你分得清这两个孪生姐妹吗?

tell it as it is

1. 实事求是; 坦率而诚实

A child should learn to tell it as it is.

孩子应该学会实事求是地讲话。

tell off

1. 分派出

Only two of them were told off to do the job.

仅他们中的两个人被派去做那件工作。

tell on

1. 告发

He had promised not to tell on us.

他曾答应不告发我们。

there is no telling

1. 难以预料, 很难说

There is no telling when she will come back.

说不准她什么时候回来。

you can never tell

1. 谁都说不准

You can never tell what will happen in the future.

谁都不敢说将来会发生什么事。