tale

Banbury tale

A story that does not make sense or which rambles circuitously without apparent end. The old sailor, after several glasses of whiskey too many, began to tell some rambling Banbury tale, which none of us were able to decipher.

old wives' tale

A now-debunked story or idea that was once believed, often superstitiously. How can you believe in that old wives' tale? Oh, that's just an old wives' tale! A broken mirror does not guarantee seven years' bad luck.

See also: old, tale

fish story

and fish tale

Fig. a great big lie. (Like a fisherman who exaggerates the size of the fish that got away.) That's just a fish story. Don't try to fool me. He's a master at the fish tale. Maybe he should be a politician.

old wives' tale

Fig. a myth or superstition. You really don't believe that stuff about starving a cold do you? It's just an old wives' tale.

See also: old, tale

tale never loses in the telling

Prov. When people tell stories, they tend to exaggerate. Johnny's bicycle accident tale never loses in the telling; he convinced his friends that four semi trucks had been involved, when in fact he only ran into one parked car.

tale of woe

a sad story; a list of personal problems; an excuse for failing to do something. I listened to her tale of woe without saying anything. This tale of woe that we have all been getting from Kelly is just too much.

tell its own story

and tell its own tale

Fig. [for the state of something] to indicate clearly what has happened. The upturned boat told its own tale. The fisherman had drowned. The girl's tear-stained face told its own story.

thereby hangs a tale

there is an interesting story connected with this matter. Yes, she comes in late most mornings, and thereby hangs a tale. She has a drinking problem.

Thereby/Therein hangs a tale.

(British & Australian humorous)

something that you say when you have been asked about something that needs a long explanation 'So what were you doing in Nick's garage at three o'clock in the morning?' 'Ah, thereby hangs a tale.'

live to tell the tale

to still be alive after a dangerous or frightening experience I should imagine very few people have fallen from that height and lived to tell the tale. I had dinner with her and lived to tell the tale.

an old wives' tale

a piece of advice or an idea which a lot of people believed in the past but which we now know is wrong It's an old wives' tale that drinking alcohol before you go to bed helps you sleep.

See also: old, tale

a tall story/tale

a story or a statement that is difficult to believe because it is too exciting or interesting He told me a tall story about having met some top models in a nightclub.

tell its own tale

(British & Australian)

if something tells its own tale, it shows the truth about a situation She may smile in public, but the expression in her eyes tells its own tale.

tell tales

to tell someone in authority about something bad that someone has done because you want to cause trouble for them (often + about ) She wasn't very popular at school - she was the sort of kid who was always telling tales about other kids. I had half a mind to tell my boss about him but I didn't want her to think I was telling tales.

See can't tell arse from elbow, live to tell the tale

fish story

An improbable, boastful tale, as in He came up with some fish story about his winnings at the track. This expression alludes to the tendency of fishermen to exaggerate the size of their catch. [Early 1800s]

old wives' tale

A superstition, as in Toads cause warts? That's an old wives' tale. This expression was already known in ancient Greece, and a version in English was recorded in 1387. Despite invoking bigoted stereotypes of women and old people, it survives.

See also: old, tale

tall tale

A fanciful or greatly exaggerated story, as in Some youngsters love tall tales about creatures from outer space coming to earth. This idiom uses tall in the sense of "exaggerated." [Mid-1800s]

tell tales

Divulge secrets, as in Don't trust him; he's apt to tell tales. This expression was first recorded about 1350. A variant, tell tales out of school, first recorded in 1530, presumably alluded to schoolchildren gossiping but was soon broadened to revealing secret or private information. Both may be obsolescent.

thereby hangs a tale

That detail or incident reminds one of another story, as in So he went without supper, but thereby hangs a tale. This expression, embodying the pun on tail and tale, was used by Shakespeare in at least four of his plays and presumably was well known before that. [1500s]

fairy tale

and bedtime story

n. a simplistic and condescending explanation for something; a lie. I don’t want to hear a fairy tale, just the facts, ma’am. I’ve already heard your little bedtime story. You’ll have to do better than that!

fish story

and fish tale

n. a great big lie. (Like the fisherman who exaggerates the size of the fish that got away.) All we got was a fish story about his luck with the girls. What a liar! He’s a master at the fish tale. Maybe he should be a politician.

fish tale

verb

See fish story

tale of woe

n. a sad story; a list of personal problems; an excuse for failing to do something. I listened to her tale of woe without saying anything.

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Aranka	AW-rawn-kaw	Hungarian
Marjan (2)	-	Slovene, Macedonian, Serbian, Croatian
Sjakie	SHAH-kee	Dutch
Carina (1)	kə-REEN-ə (English), kah-REE-nah (German)	English, Portuguese, Spanish, German, Late Roman
Sree	-	Indian, Telugu, Tamil
Hanifa	-	Arabic