Tell against

[Bassim]

I am wondering if I could use "tell against" in these sentences.

1. Anna wished to be a model, but she was aware that her weight would tell against her.
2. John was unable to get a job as a security guard because his criminal record told against him.

 

[Rover_KE]

Yes — they're fine.

 

[MikeNewYork]

That must be another BrE vs. AmE difference. They don't work for me.

 

[emsr2d2]

It seems to be a BrE vs BrE difference. I've never heard that phrase (BrE) and it sounds completely unnatural to me.

 

[tedmc]

How do the Americans express the same sentences?

 

[Rover_KE]

They probably say 'count against' (cf 'teller' and 'counter').

 

[Rover_KE]

It seems to be a BrE vs BrE difference. I've never heard that phrase (BrE) and it sounds completely unnatural to me.

What can I say? It's right there in dictionaries.

tell against sb/sth - Cambridge Dictionary - Cambridge University ...
dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/british/tell-aga...
What is tell against sb/sth? to make someone or something more likely to fail: : See more in British English Dictionary - Cambridge Dictionaries ...


tell against - Macmillan English Dictionaries
www.macmillandictionary.com/thesaurus/british/tell-agai...

Comprehensive list of synonyms for tell against, related words for tell against and other words for tell against by Macmillan Dictionary and Thesaurus.

tell against - Wiktionary

(transitive, idiomatic) To function as a liability (for someone);

It's even in the American Heritage Dictionary:

tell
3. To have an effect or impact: In this game every move tells.

 

[MikeNewYork]

I am aware of that definition of "tell" in AmE, but not "tell against".