1. tell all - Noun
2. tell all - Adjective
3. tell all - Verb
(idiomatic) To reveal everything, particularly information that is normally withheld.
The suspect told all when he saw the surveillance tapes linking him to the crime scene.
The actress's earthy new book tells all.
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see tell, all.
She told all of the news to her friends.
tell-all (plural tell-alls)
A publication, usually a book or magazine article, which tells all, revealing everything, particularly what is normally withheld.
tell-all (not comparable)
Telling all; revealing everything, particularly what is normally withheld.
The statesman's tell-all memoirs were not published until long after death.
Open source is a tell-all software development strategy.
tell-all
You may tell a man thou art a fiend, but not your nose wants blowing; to him alone who can bear a thing of that kind, you may tell all. Johann Kaspar Lavater
The most interesting information come from children, for they tell all they know and then stop. Mark Twain
I have, all my life long, been lying till noon yet I tell all young men, and tell them with great sincerity, that nobody who does not rise early will ever do any good. Samuel Johnson
Never tell all that you know, or do all that you can, or believe all that you hear. Portuguese Proverb
Do not tell all that you know, don't believe all you hear, and don't do all that you can. Portuguese Proverb
Don't do all you can, spend all you have, believe all you hear, or tell all you know. English Proverb