english
                    
                    
                    
                        1
                           general:: 
                           Discern or distinguish, as in It's hard to tell the twins apart. [First half of 1900s]
                           
                           
                           
                           
                        
    
                       
                    
                        
                        
                        
                    
 
                    
                        American Heritage Idioms
                    
                    
                    
                        2
                           general:: 
                           Phrase(s): tell people or things apart  to distinguish one from another.  •  I can’t tell Bob and Bill apart.  •  I find it easy to tell apart Bill and Bob.  •  The two cakes look different, but in taste, I can’t tell this one and that one apart.
                           
                           
                           
                           
                        
    
                       
                    
                        
                        
                        
                    
 
                    
                        McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs
                    
                    
                    
                        3
                           general:: 
                           Phrase(s): tell things apart  to distinguish one thing or a group of things from another thing or group of things.  •  This one is gold, and the others are brass. Can you tell them apart?  •  Without their labels, I can’t tell them apart.
                           
                           
                           
                           
                        
    
                       
                    
                        
                        
                        
                    
 
                    
                        McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs