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Webster 1913 Edition


Tale

Tale

(tāl)
,
Noun.
See
Tael
.

Tale

,
Noun.
[AS.
talu
number, speech, narrative; akin to D.
taal
speech, language, G.
zahl
number, OHG.
zala
, Icel.
tal
,
tala
, number, speech, Sw.
tal
, Dan.
tal
number,
tale
speech, Goth.
talzjan
to instruct. Cf.
Tell
,
Verb.
T.
,
Toll
a tax, also
Talk
,
Verb.
I.
]
1.
That which is told; an oral relation or recital; any rehearsal of what has occured; narrative; discourse; statement; history; story.
“The tale of Troy divine.”
Milton.
“In such manner rime is Dante’s tale.”
Chaucer.
We spend our years as a
tale
that is told.
Ps. xc. 9.
2.
A number told or counted off; a reckoning by count; an enumeration; a count, in distinction from measure or weight; a number reckoned or stated.
The ignorant, . . . who measure by
tale
, and not by weight.
Hooker.
And every shepherd tells his
tale
,
Under the hawthorn in the dale.
Milton.
In packing, they keep a just
tale
of the number.
Carew.
3.
(Law)
A count or declaration.
[Obs.]
To tell tale of
,
to make account of.
[Obs.]
Therefore little
tale
hath he
told

Of
any dream, so holy was his heart.
Chaucer.
Syn. – Anecdote; story; fable; incident; memoir; relation; account; legend; narrative.

Tale

(tāl)
,
Verb.
I.
To tell stories.
[Obs.]
Chaucer.
Gower.

Webster 1828 Edition


Tale

TALE

,
Noun.
[See Tell.] A story; a narrative; the rehearsal of a series of events or adventures, commonly some trifling incidents; or a fictitious narrative; as the tale of a tub. Marmontel's tales; idle tales. Luke 24.
We spend our years as a tale that is told Ps.90.
1.
Oral relation.
2.
Reckoning; account set down. Ex.5.
In packing, they keep a just tale of the number.
3.
Number reckoned.
--The ignorant who measure by tale, not be weight.
4.
A telling; information; disclosure of any thing secret.
Birds--are aptest by their voice to tell tales what they find.
In thee are men that carry tales to shed blood. Ezek.22.
5.
In law, a count or declaration. [Tale, in this sense, is obsolete.]
6.
In commerce, a weight for gold and silver in China and other parts of the E. Indies; also, a money of account. In China, each tale is 10 maces=100 candareens-1000 cash.

TALE

,
Verb.
I.
To tell stories.