Tattling: meaning, definitions and examples
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tattling
[ ˈtætlɪŋ ]
informal contexts
Tattling refers to the act of reporting someone's wrongdoings or misbehavior, often in a childish or petty manner. It typically involves telling a parent, teacher, or authority figure about a minor infraction made by another child, often to seek attention or to get the peer in trouble.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- She was tattling on her brother for eating the last cookie.
- Instead of solving the problem themselves, the children kept tattling to the teacher.
- Tattling can create distrust among friends.
Translations
Translations of the word "tattling" in other languages:
🇵🇹 delatar
- contar para alguém
- fazer queixa
🇮🇳 शिकायत करना
- बताना
- साज़िश करना
🇩🇪 petzen
- verraten
- sich beschweren
🇮🇩 melapor
- mengadu
- mengekspose
🇺🇦 докладати
- доносити
- скаржитися
🇵🇱 donosić
- skarżyć
- informować
🇯🇵 密告する
- 告げ口する
- たれこむ
🇫🇷 dénoncer
- rapporter
- faire des commérages
🇪🇸 delatar
- chismear
- quejarse
🇹🇷 ihbar etmek
- şikayet etmek
- dedikodu yapmak
🇰🇷 고발하다
- 일러바치다
- 불평하다
🇸🇦 الإبلاغ
- الشكوى
- الإخبار
🇨🇿 udávat
- stěžovat si
- špiclovat
🇸🇰 donášať
- sťažovať si
- špehovať
🇨🇳 告密
- 报告
- 诉苦
🇸🇮 izdati
- pritoževati se
- poročati
🇮🇸 skjalla
- kvarta
- segja frá
🇰🇿 жарнама жасау
- шағымдану
- хабарлау
🇬🇪 მოწერა
- ჩივილი
- გაწვდილი
🇦🇿 şikayət etmək
- məlumat vermək
- dedikodu etmək
🇲🇽 delatar
- chismear
- quejarse
Word origin
The term 'tattling' likely originated from the Middle English word 'tattlen,' which means to talk or prattle. The roots can be traced back to the Old English word 'tætel,' meaning to chatter or gossip. Traditionally, tattling has been associated with children, reflecting their tendency to inform adults about each other’s misdeeds. The negative connotation of the word suggests that tattling is generally viewed as an undesirable behavior, often linked to a desire for attention or to manipulate social dynamics among peers. It suggests a lack of maturity in handling disputes or conflicts, leading to an ongoing dialogue about the ethics of reporting others’ behaviors in social and educational settings.
Word Frequency Rank
Ranking #37,625, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.
- ...
- 37622 nipper
- 37623 heartlessly
- 37624 fluffing
- 37625 tattling
- 37626 deliciousness
- 37627 rustication
- 37628 repurchasing
- ...