Tall story

Meaning

The idiom "tall story" is used to describe a story that is exaggerated or not true. It implies that the story being told is likely an embellished version of events.

Usage

• Sarah told her friends about her encounter with a giant spider, but they knew it was just a tall story.
• My boss always likes to tell tall stories about his experiences in the military.
• When I asked my friend what happened at the party last night, he told me a tall story about how he saved the day.
• The children were telling a tall story about their adventure in the forest.
• We had to stop listening to our neighbor's tall stories after we realized they were all lies. The usage of the idiom "tall story" can vary depending on the context. For example, it can be used in a lighthearted or sarcastic way to indicate that a story is not true, or it can be used more seriously to question the accuracy of a claim being made.

Roots and History

The origin of the idiom "tall story" is uncertain, but it is likely related to the fact that taller people are often associated with larger-than-life personalities. The first recorded use of the idiom was in 1827 in a collection of stories called "Young Husband." In this story, a character tells a tall story about how he rescued his wife from danger. Over time, the idiom has taken on a broader meaning and is now used to describe any exaggerated or false story. However, there are regional variations of the idiom in different parts of the world. For example, in some areas, the phrase "tall tale" is more commonly used.

Synonyms in English

• Exaggerated story
• Embellished story
• Ridiculous story
• Unbelievable story
• Contradictory story

Synonyms in other languages

• La fable (French) - a tall tale or exaggerated story
• Las bromas (Spanish) - jokes or tall stories
• Die Schwarze Katze (German) - the black cat, which is often used as an expression for an unbelievable or exaggerated story
• Het verhaal van de kat die bij het water viel (Dutch) - the story of the cat that fell into the water, which is a popular tall tale in Dutch culture
• La saga di Guiletta e di Marco (Italian) - the story of Guiletta and Marco, which is an Italian fairy tale about two lovers who are separated by death but reunited in the afterlife

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