Tale
noun
A story about imaginary or real events.
She told us an interesting tale about her journey through Africa.
Often appears as...
- fairy tale
- folk tale
noun
An account or report about a particular matter.
Her success is a tale of hard work and determination.
Often appears as...
- tale of woe
- tell a tale
noun
A lie or fictitious story.
Don't believe his tales, he just wants to impress you.
Usage tips
Disapproving
noun
A number of things of the same type considered or classed together.
A tale of jurors convenes tomorrow to hear the case.
Usage tips
Formal
Legal
noun
A story about imaginary or real events.
She told us an interesting tale about her journey through Africa.
Often appears as...
- fairy tale
- folk tale
noun
An account or report about a particular matter.
Her success is a tale of hard work and determination.
Often appears as...
- tale of woe
- tell a tale
noun
A lie or fictitious story.
Don't believe his tales, he just wants to impress you.
Usage tips
Disapproving
noun
A number of things of the same type considered or classed together.
A tale of jurors convenes tomorrow to hear the case.
Usage tips
Formal
Legal
Definition 1 of 4
Pro Tip 1/3Imaginary Events
Used for folklore or stories with fantastical elements often taught to children.
The fairy tale involved a dragon and a wizard.
Pro Tip 2/3Moral Lessons
Many tales, especially fables, come with a lesson or moral at the end.
The tale of the tortoise and the hare teaches patience.
Pro Tip 3/3Cultural Storytelling
Folk tales can provide insights into the culture and history of a place or people.
Her grandmother shared an old folk tale from their village.
Pro Tip 1/3Imaginary Events
Used for folklore or stories with fantastical elements often taught to children.
The fairy tale involved a dragon and a wizard.
Pro Tip 2/3Moral Lessons
Many tales, especially fables, come with a lesson or moral at the end.
The tale of the tortoise and the hare teaches patience.
Pro Tip 3/3Cultural Storytelling
Folk tales can provide insights into the culture and history of a place or people.
Her grandmother shared an old folk tale from their village.
Pro Tip 1/3Imaginary Events
Used for folklore or stories with fantastical elements often taught to children.
The fairy tale involved a dragon and a wizard.
Pro Tip 2/3Moral Lessons
Many tales, especially fables, come with a lesson or moral at the end.
The tale of the tortoise and the hare teaches patience.
Pro Tip 3/3Cultural Storytelling
Folk tales can provide insights into the culture and history of a place or people.
Her grandmother shared an old folk tale from their village.
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Video examples
The reality constructed...
had said he was going to leave and we kind of really didn't believe it but well he had said and it was looking like it was going to happen and so I think was saying but what about all those people around him what's going to happen so this guy tells this story no idea if it's a tall tale let's call it and he was like well you know I had the
Video examples
Everything you need to...
These included descriptions of scenery and lists of characters, and helped the rhapsode keep their place in the narrative, just as the chorus or bridge of a song helps us to remember the next verses. Because most of the tales were familiar to the audience, it was common to hear the sections of the poem out of order.
Video examples
Why should you listen to...
and so does Vivaldi's musical exploration of the seasons. Not until the early 19th century would such expressive instrumental program music, as it was known, become popular. By then, larger, more varied ensembles were the rule with woodwinds, brass, and percussion to help tell the tale.
Video examples
How to recognize a...
government power, and global epidemics. So why bother with all this pessimism? Because at their heart, dystopias are cautionary tales, not about some particular government or technology, but the very idea that humanity can be molded into an ideal shape.
Video examples
Are we born to run? PIPE...
If you read folklore and mythology, any kind of myths, any kind of tall tales, running is always associated with freedom and vitality and youthfulness and eternal vigor. It's only in our lifetime that running has become associated with fear and pain.
Video examples
Why tragedies are...
makes a mistake that sends his life, and the lives of those around him, spiraling into ruin. Sound familiar? This is the classic story pattern for Greek tragedy. For thousands of years, we've spun spellbinding tales that fit this pattern,
Video examples
The myth of Sisyphus -...
But just as he approached the top, the rock would roll all the way back down, forcing him to start over …and over, and over, for all eternity. Historians have suggested that the tale of Sisyphus may stem from ancient myths
Video examples
Mohenjo Daro 101 PIPE...
after the city fell into ruin archeologists paid their first visit the ensuing decades of excavations have unearthed countless clues that tell the tale of mohenjo-daro but it still holds secrets for us to discover
Video examples
Tigers 101 PIPE National...
icons of beauty power and the importance of conservation tigers have evolved into six subspecies the tiger's tale of evolution can be traced back to about two million years when the earliest known tiger ancestor
Video examples
Serengeti: First Look...
an African tale told over one dramatic year every week catch up with a cast of extraordinary characters
Video examples
The reality constructed...
had said he was going to leave and we kind of really didn't believe it but well he had said and it was looking like it was going to happen and so I think was saying but what about all those people around him what's going to happen so this guy tells this story no idea if it's a tall tale let's call it and he was like well you know I had the
Video examples
Everything you need to...
These included descriptions of scenery and lists of characters, and helped the rhapsode keep their place in the narrative, just as the chorus or bridge of a song helps us to remember the next verses. Because most of the tales were familiar to the audience, it was common to hear the sections of the poem out of order.
Video examples
Why should you listen to...
and so does Vivaldi's musical exploration of the seasons. Not until the early 19th century would such expressive instrumental program music, as it was known, become popular. By then, larger, more varied ensembles were the rule with woodwinds, brass, and percussion to help tell the tale.
Video examples
How to recognize a...
government power, and global epidemics. So why bother with all this pessimism? Because at their heart, dystopias are cautionary tales, not about some particular government or technology, but the very idea that humanity can be molded into an ideal shape.
Video examples
Are we born to run? PIPE...
If you read folklore and mythology, any kind of myths, any kind of tall tales, running is always associated with freedom and vitality and youthfulness and eternal vigor. It's only in our lifetime that running has become associated with fear and pain.
Video examples
Why tragedies are...
makes a mistake that sends his life, and the lives of those around him, spiraling into ruin. Sound familiar? This is the classic story pattern for Greek tragedy. For thousands of years, we've spun spellbinding tales that fit this pattern,
Video examples
The myth of Sisyphus -...
But just as he approached the top, the rock would roll all the way back down, forcing him to start over …and over, and over, for all eternity. Historians have suggested that the tale of Sisyphus may stem from ancient myths
Video examples
Mohenjo Daro 101 PIPE...
after the city fell into ruin archeologists paid their first visit the ensuing decades of excavations have unearthed countless clues that tell the tale of mohenjo-daro but it still holds secrets for us to discover
Video examples
Tigers 101 PIPE National...
icons of beauty power and the importance of conservation tigers have evolved into six subspecies the tiger's tale of evolution can be traced back to about two million years when the earliest known tiger ancestor
Video examples
Serengeti: First Look...
an African tale told over one dramatic year every week catch up with a cast of extraordinary characters
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Fran Tarkenton
American Athlete
The pro athlete is a sad tale. He signs a big contract and thinks he's set for life. I didn't think I was set for life, and I don't now. As athletes, we are important, celebrities, in demand and rich. Then we are out of the game and we are not important, not celebrities, not in demand and not rich.
Quote examples
Karen Salmansohn
American Author
Are you used to entertaining everyone with your tales of drama and conflict? Do you get attention and feel important every time you complain about how awful this man is? Stop settling for attention for the negative stuff in your life.
Quote examples
Ben Howard
English Musician
Songs became little time periods of my life, little tales from certain periods, and you build these kingdoms and memories... they're all little personal relationships and places that I've stored in my head.
Quote examples
R. A. Salvatore
American Author
Definitely they write themselves. It's an amazing experience. It's like the characters have come alive and are sitting on my shoulder talking to me, telling me their tales.
Quote examples
Albert Finney
British Actor
I don't think that we necessarily lie. I mean, we make our living by pretending that we're someone else. I don't tell tall tales. I always tell the truth.
Quote examples
Neil Gaiman
British Author
Things need not have happened to be true. Tales and adventures are the shadow truths that will endure when mere facts are dust and ashes and forgotten.
Quote examples
Patrick Ness
American Author
Folk tales and myths, they've lasted for a reason. We tell them over and over because we keep finding truths in them, and we keep finding life in them.
Quote examples
Francis Bacon
English Philosopher
Men fear death as children fear to go in the dark; and as that natural fear in children is increased by tales, so is the other.
Quote examples
Henry David Thoreau
American Author
All men are children, and of one family. The same tale sends them all to bed, and wakes them in the morning.
Quote examples
Lucius Annaeus Seneca
Roman Statesman
As is a tale, so is life: not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters.
Quote examples
Fran Tarkenton
American Athlete
The pro athlete is a sad tale. He signs a big contract and thinks he's set for life. I didn't think I was set for life, and I don't now. As athletes, we are important, celebrities, in demand and rich. Then we are out of the game and we are not important, not celebrities, not in demand and not rich.
Quote examples
Karen Salmansohn
American Author
Are you used to entertaining everyone with your tales of drama and conflict? Do you get attention and feel important every time you complain about how awful this man is? Stop settling for attention for the negative stuff in your life.
Quote examples
Ben Howard
English Musician
Songs became little time periods of my life, little tales from certain periods, and you build these kingdoms and memories... they're all little personal relationships and places that I've stored in my head.
Quote examples
R. A. Salvatore
American Author
Definitely they write themselves. It's an amazing experience. It's like the characters have come alive and are sitting on my shoulder talking to me, telling me their tales.
Quote examples
Albert Finney
British Actor
I don't think that we necessarily lie. I mean, we make our living by pretending that we're someone else. I don't tell tall tales. I always tell the truth.
Quote examples
Neil Gaiman
British Author
Things need not have happened to be true. Tales and adventures are the shadow truths that will endure when mere facts are dust and ashes and forgotten.
Quote examples
Patrick Ness
American Author
Folk tales and myths, they've lasted for a reason. We tell them over and over because we keep finding truths in them, and we keep finding life in them.
Quote examples
Francis Bacon
English Philosopher
Men fear death as children fear to go in the dark; and as that natural fear in children is increased by tales, so is the other.
Quote examples
Henry David Thoreau
American Author
All men are children, and of one family. The same tale sends them all to bed, and wakes them in the morning.
Quote examples
Lucius Annaeus Seneca
Roman Statesman
As is a tale, so is life: not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters.
Example 1 of 10
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