telling

  • 1Telling — Tell ing, a. Operating with great effect; effective; as, a telling speech. {Tell ing*ly}, adv. [1913 Webster] …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2telling — [tel′iŋ] adj. 1. having an effect; forceful; striking [a telling retort] 2. that tells or reveals much SYN. VALID tellingly adv …

    English World dictionary

  • 3telling — index caveat, cogent, conversation, demonstrative (illustrative), determinative, disclosure (act of disclosing), eloquent …

    Law dictionary

  • 4telling — compelling, convincing, cogent, sound, *valid Analogous words: forceful, forcible, *powerful, potent: *effective, effectual, efficacious: *conclusive, decisive, determinative, definitive …

    New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • 5telling — [adj] effective, significant cogent, considerable, conspicuous, convincing, crucial, decisive, devastating, effectual, forceful, forcible, important, impressive, influential, marked, operative, potent, powerful, satisfactory, satisfying, solid,… …

    New thesaurus

  • 6telling — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ having a striking or revealing effect; significant. DERIVATIVES tellingly adverb …

    English terms dictionary

  • 7telling — [[t]te̱lɪŋ[/t]] tellings 1) N VAR The telling of a story or of something that has happened is the reporting of it to other people. Herbert sat quietly through the telling of this saga... These stories grow in the telling. 2) ADJ GRADED If… …

    English dictionary

  • 8telling — tell|ing1 [ˈtelıŋ] adj 1.) having a great or important effect = ↑significant ▪ a telling argument 2.) showing the true character or nature of someone or something, often without being intended telling comment/example/detail etc >tellingly adv… …

    Dictionary of contemporary English

  • 9telling — /ˈtɛlɪŋ / (say teling) adjective 1. having force or effect; effective; striking: a telling blow. 2. indicative of one s feelings; revealing: a telling blush. –phrase 3. take a telling, Colloquial to be warned: he ought to take a telling. {tell1 + …

  • 10telling — tellingly, adv. /tel ing/, adj. 1. having force or effect; effective; striking: a telling blow. 2. revealing; indicative of much otherwise unnoticed: a telling analysis of motivation in business. [1850 55; TELL1 + ING2] Syn. 1. powerful, forceful …

    Universalium