telling
Translation
revealing, significant, eloquent
Examples
Her silence was very telling.
Her silence was very revealing.
It was a telling comment on the situation.
It was a significant comment on the situation.
Grammar Patterns
((a telling sth.)) a significant (sth.) It was a telling sign of his nervousness.
((sth. is telling)) (sth.) is revealing Her silence was very telling.
Similar Words
Synonyms: significant, revealing, meaningful; Antonyms: insignificant
Etymology
From the present participle of the verb 'to tell', in the sense of something 'telling' or revealing a lot of information.
Memory Tips
Think of something that 'tells' you a lot without words. A 'telling' look tells a story.