telltale

[tel-teyl]

noun

1. a person who heedlessly or maliciously reveals private or confidential matters; tattler; talebearer.

2. a thing serving to reveal or disclose something.

3. any of various indicating or registering devices, as a time clock.

4. Music.,  a gauge on an organ for indicating the air pressure.

5. an indicator showing the position of a ship's rudder.

6. a row of strips hung over a track to warn train crew members on freight trains that a low bridge, tunnel, or the like is approaching.

7. Yachting.,  (on a sailboat) a feather, string, or similar device, often attached to the port and starboard shrouds and to the backstay, to indicate the relative direction of the wind.

8. Squash.,  a narrow piece of metal across the front wall of a court, parallel to and extending 17 inches (43.2 centimeters) above the base: a ball striking this is an out.

adjective

1. that reveals or betrays what is not intended to be known.

   a telltale blush.

2. giving notice or warning of something, as a mechanical device.

telltale

/ ˈtɛlˌteɪl /

noun

1. a person who tells tales about others

2. 1. an outward indication of something concealed

   2. ( as modifier )

      a telltale paw mark

3. any of various indicators or recording devices used to monitor a process, machine, etc

4. nautical

   1. another word for dogvane

   2. one of a pair of light vanes mounted on the main shrouds of a sailing boat to indicate the apparent direction of the wind

Other Word Forms

• telltalely adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of telltale¹

First recorded in 1540–50; tell ¹ + tale

Example Sentences

Among the holes, some dug on top of the graves themselves, were discarded bits of old metal - a telltale sign that those practising in the "darker underbelly" of metal detecting had been here.

From BBC

Buoyed by the success, Bokhii bounded out of the dugout, forgetting the usual protocol of stopping first to listen for a telltale buzz.

From BBC

While most associated with its telltale rash, health officials warn measles can cause symptoms that cross the boundary from discomfort to danger.

From Los Angeles Times

From the top of the dunes, the four of us watched the launchpad for telltale signs of exhaust.

From Los Angeles Times

Infants may not display the telltale whooping cough, but turn blue, red or gag due to difficulty breathing.

From Los Angeles Times