A rehearsal of what has occurred; narrative; discourse; statement; history; story.
Understanding tale
• A number told or counted off; a reckoning by count; an enumeration.
• The fraudulent opportunity presented by a confidence man to the mark or victim.
• An account of an asserted fact or circumstance; a rumour; a report, especially an idle or malicious story; a piece of gossip or slander; a lie.
• Number; tally; quota.
• Account; estimation; regard; heed.
• Speech; language.
• A speech; a statement; talk; conversation; discourse.
• A count; declaration.
• A number of things considered as an aggregate; sum.
• A report of any matter; a relation; a version.
(Verb) To speak; discourse; tell tales.
• To reckon; consider (someone) to have something.
(Noun) Alternative form of tael.
How tale affects you
tale appears in U.S. legal practice across multiple practice areas. Knowing what it means — and when it applies — can determine the outcome of motions, filings, and negotiations. For non-lawyers, the value of looking up a precise definition is that legal terms often carry meanings that differ from everyday usage; relying on the common meaning can lead to costly missteps.
The mechanics of tale
In practice, tale is invoked when parties, judges, or attorneys need to identify the legal status of an issue, the rights of those involved, or the procedural step required next. The definition shown above is sourced from Wiktionary , which is widely cited in U.S. legal practice. Because U.S. law is jurisdictionally layered — federal, state, and sometimes local — the precise application of the term can vary by court, so check the controlling authority for your specific case.