tell its own tale

verb

To speak for itself; to require no explanation.

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Meanings

verbtell its own tale (third-person singular simple present tells its own tale, present participle telling its own tale, simple past and past participle told its own tale)

present singular third person tells its own tale · participle present telling its own tale · participle past told its own tale · past told its own tale

  1. idiomaticTo speak for itself; to require no explanation.

    […] and looking out she saw Sir William Grant approaching at an easy trot, for he was anxious to avoid giving her any sudden shock; but the poor animal's state told its own tale; and starting up, Lady Sydney herself opened the hall-door […]

    1868, Frances Mary Oxenham, Edith Sydney, page 19
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

“tell its own tale.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tell%20its%20own%20tale. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “tell its own tale,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tell%20its%20own%20tale.

Source: tell its own tale on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.