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ay; as, to spend a day idly; to spend winter abroad. We spend our years as a tale that is told. Ps. xc. 9.

linded with desire of wealth, With steel invades the brother's life by stealth. Dryden. I told him of your stealth unto this wood. Shak.

is direct descendants; lineage; family. And stand betwixt them made, when, severally, All told their stock. Chapman. Thy mother was no goddess, nor thy stock From Dardanus. Denham.

Told in a story.

Height; completion; utmost degree. Thus have I told thee all my state, and brought My story to the sum of earthly bliss. Milton.

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.

Idle talk or chat; trifling talk; prate. [They] told the tattle of the day. Swift.

unt; to enumerate; to reckon; to number; to count; as, to tell money. "An heap of coin he told." Spenser. He telleth the number of the stars. Ps. cxlvii. 4. Tell the joints of the body. Jer. Taylor.

Capable of being told.

definite theme; especially, an essay presented by a candidate for a diploma or degree. I told them of the grave, becoming, and sublime deportment they should assume upon this mystical occasion, and read them two homilies and a thesis of my own composing, to prepare them. Goldsmith.

th a sudden or violent motion; as, to toss the head. He tossed his arm aloft, and proudly told me, He would not stay. Addison.

y expressing the notion of more than the usual number or more than I would like; -- "I've told you umpteen times not to do that." umpteenth. Ordinal of umpteen, with corresponding signification.

To; unto; towards; -- used of material objects. Chaucer. Taverners until them told the same. Piers Plowman. He roused himself full blithe, and hastened them until. Spenser.

a jot; an iota; -- generally used in an adverbial phrase in a negative sentence. "Samuel told him every whit." 1 Sam. iii. 18. "Every whit as great." South. So shall I no whit be behind in duty. Shak. It does not me a whit displease. Cowley.

To denote simultaneous happening, or immediate succession or consequence. With that she told me . . . that she would hide no truth from me. Sir P. Sidney. With her they flourished, and with her they die. Pope. With this he pointed to his face. Dryden.

o give exertion and effort to; to prepare for use, or to utilize, by labor. He could have told them of two or three gold mines, and a silver mine, and given the reason why they forbare to work them at that time. Sir W. Raleigh.

A story told by a sailor for the amusement of his companions; a story or tale; as, to spin a yarn. [Colloq.]