tell somebody someone is guilty

[Anonymous]

Hello !
Thanks for the answer to my previous question !

I´d like to know a more formal word for " to snitch on someone". For example.

- The student found out a classmated had sneaked drugs into their school, and ** to the principal. (told the principal he was guilty).

 

[RonBee]

You could say tell on. Kids here (USA) will sometimes threaten to tell on each other. You might hear little brother or sister say I'm going to tell. He or she might say I'm going to tell Mommy or I'm going to tell Daddy.

 

[Tdol]

Formally, we'd use verbs like 'informed'. Informally, there are many more, like 'grass'. ;-)

 

[RonBee]

I've never informed on anybody, but I have told on somebody a time or two.

:wink:

 

[Tdol]

You can also 'shop' people, but that isn't very formal. It isn't slang, however.

BTW, Ron, do you use it in the States? For some reason, it sounds very BE to me. ;-)

 

[RonBee]

You can also 'shop' people, but that isn't very formal. It isn't slang, however.

BTW, Ron, do you use it in the States? For some reason, it sounds very BE to me. ;-)

I have never heard shop used that way. I suppose it is a BE expression. However, I might rat on somebody if I were so inclined. I could also squeal on somebody. Then there is the proverbial canary, who, as you might imagine, sings like a canary.

:wink:

 

[Tdol]

We use those two here as well. ;-)