From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishtelltaletell‧tale1 /ˈtelteɪl/ adjective → telltale signs/marks etc
Examples from the Corpus
telltale• Internal haemorrhaging spills blood into the stomach, and this causes a telltale black vomit.• The kelp bass with their telltale checkerboard markings are fabled in these waters.• Their spacing is regular, a telltale mark that the flow field around each sea pen defines the optimum spacing of neighbors.• She removed the briefs and felt the telltale moisture below.• The out-of-state addresses were a telltale sign that the children were illegally adopted.• It was a telltale sign that water was seeping through the canyon walls, softening the mica shale and conglomerate abutment.• Teachers are encouraged to look for telltale signs of abuse among their students.• The great majority, once they breach the system and hear the telltale whine, are out of there like a shot.telltaletelltale2 noun [countable] British English LIE DOWNa child who tells adults about other children’s secrets or bad behaviour – used by children to show disapproval SYN tattletale American EnglishExamples from the Corpus
telltale• Only professional decorum prevented me from picking up the remaining telltale and gnawing greedily away.• Any false starts or false moves will result in error and the telltale bugs. 