(chiefly, British, idiomatic) I am mistaken; I thought that what I said (or wrote) was true, but I have just realised that it is not.
(chiefly, British, idiomatic) I am mistaken; I thought that what I said (or wrote) was true, but I have just realised that it is not.
I visited Canada in 1996—no, I tell a lie, in 1997.
I tell a lie means: I am mistaken; I thought that what I said (or wrote) was true, but I have just realised that it is not.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
I tell a lie means: I am mistaken; I thought that what I said (or wrote) was true, but I have just realised that it is not.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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(British) lay of the land.
(UK) To stay in bed (longer than usual).
The British English equivalent of the American phrase 'lay of the land' — meaning the current situation, how things stand, or the practical reality of a given circumstance. Before making a move, you survey the lie of the land: who's in charge, what tensions exist, what opportunities are open. It's a phrase that emphasises reading a situation carefully before acting, and it crosses over from military origins into business, politics, and everyday problem-solving.
(British, dated) An exclamation of surprise or protest.
I tell a lie means: I am mistaken; I thought that what I said (or wrote) was true, but I have just realised that it is not.. Register: neutral, standard English. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.
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(Internet slang) The end being pursued is unattainable or misguided; the reward promised is false.