Told is the past tense of the verb tell. When you tell someone something, you share information with them through words. Yesterday you told your friend about your weekend plans. Last week your teacher told the class about an upcoming field trip. Your parents probably told you stories before bed when you were younger.

The word carries a sense of direct communication. If someone told you something, they spoke to you specifically, not that you overheard it or read it somewhere. When a referee tells players the rules before a game starts, she's making sure everyone understands by explaining directly to them.

Told can also mean commanded or instructed. If your mom told you to clean your room, she gave you a clear direction. A coach might have told the team to practice harder. In this sense, being told to do something is stronger than being asked; it carries an expectation that you'll follow through.

You might hear phrases like “I told you so,” which someone says when their prediction or warning turned out to be correct. Or “all told,” meaning when everything is counted or considered together: “All told, fifteen students signed up for the chess club.”