I tell a lie

phrase

I am mistaken; I thought that what I said (or wrote) was true, but I have just realised that it is not.

“I visited Canada in 1996—no, I tell a lie, in 1997.”

Similar
that's not rightthat's not so
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Meanings

phrase
  1. UKidiomaticI am mistaken; I thought that what I said (or wrote) was true, but I have just realised that it is not.

    I visited Canada in 1996—no, I tell a lie, in 1997.

    Synonyms: that's not right, that's not so

Synonyms & antonyms

phraseI am mistaken; I thought that what I said (or wrote) was true, but I have just realised that it is not.

Similar
that's not rightthat's not so

Translations

Czech kecám, zpět
  • kecámI am mistaken
  • zpětI am mistaken
Estonian ma valetan
  • ma valetanI am mistaken
Japanese もとい
  • もとい (motoi)I am mistaken
Polish pomyliłem się
  • pomyliłem sięI am mistaken
Portuguese minto
  • mintoI am mistaken
Russian вру
  • вру (vru)I am mistaken
Spanish miento
  • mientoI am mistaken
Cite this entry
APA

I tell a lie. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/I%20tell%20a%20lie

MLA

“I tell a lie.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/I%20tell%20a%20lie. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “I tell a lie,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/I%20tell%20a%20lie.

Source: I tell a lie on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.