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Folktale vs Telltale - What's the difference?

folktale | telltale |

As nouns the difference between folktale and telltale

is that folktale is a tale or story that is part of the oral tradition of a people or a place while telltale is one who divulges private information with intent to hurt others.

As an adjective telltale is

revealing something not intended to be known.

folktale

English

Alternative forms

* folk tale

Noun

(en noun)
  • A tale or story that is part of the oral tradition of a people or a place
  • See also

    * folklore

    telltale

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • One who divulges private information with intent to hurt others.
  • (chiefly, US, slang) Tattletale; squealer.
  • Something that serves to reveal something else.
  • The telltale was the lipstick on his shirt collar.
  • (music) A movable piece of ivory, lead, or other material, connected to the bellows of an organ, whose position indicates when the wind is exhausted.
  • (nautical) A length of yarn or ribbon attached to a sail or shroud etc to indicate the direction of the flow of the air relative to the boat.
  • (nautical) A mechanical attachment to the steering wheel, which, in the absence of a tiller, shows the position of the helm.
  • (nautical) A compass in the cabin of a vessel, usually placed where the captain can see it at all hours, and thus inform himself of the vessel's course.
  • (engineering) A machine or contrivance for indicating or recording something, particularly for keeping a check upon employees (factory hands, watchmen, drivers, etc.) by revealing to their employers what they have done or omitted.
  • A bird, the tattler.
  • (Webster 1913)

    Synonyms

    * (one who divulges private information) blabbermouth, gossip, rumormonger, talebearer

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • revealing something not intended to be known
  • His eye was blinking, a telltale signal that he was lying.
    He blushed when he approached, a telltale sign that he was happy to see him.

    Derived terms

    * telltale compass