tell on

dénoncer, rapporter

Dire à un professeur, à un parent ou à une autre personne responsable que quelqu'un a mal agi.

En anglais simple : You tell a teacher, parent, or other person in charge that someone has done something wrong.

• Please do not tell on me.
• My brother told on me for eating the cake.
• Will you tell on them if they cheat?

Comment l'utiliser : tell on someone (She told on her brother.); tell on someone for doing something (He told on me for skipping school.)

Synonymes : report, inform on, rat on

Expressions courantes : tell on someone, tell on me

peser sur, éprouver

Commencer à avoir un effet négatif visible sur quelqu'un, à cause d'une difficulté ou de quelque chose de nocif.

En anglais simple : Something difficult or harmful starts to have a noticeable bad effect on someone.

• The stress is telling on her.
• Years of hard work have told on his body.
• Is the lack of sleep starting to tell on you?

Comment l'utiliser : something tells on someone/something (The long hours are telling on his health.)

Synonymes : take a toll on, wear down

Expressions courantes : tell on someone, tell on his health