noun
Common
tales
TAY-leez
Tales (noun) means In law, a person available on standby to fill a vacancy on a jury. Example: “Two of the tales were sworn in when a juror fell ill.”
noun
1
In law, a person available on standby to fill a vacancy on a jury.
"Two of the tales were sworn in when a juror fell ill."
"The judge asked for tales because several jurors had not turned up."
"The clerk called in tales to complete the jury panel."
How to use tales
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA legal term for reserve jurors called up when the original panel is short.
When to use it
A specialist legal term, rarely used outside courtroom procedure.
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like tales.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Two of the _____ were sworn in when a juror fell ill.
Etymology
From Latin talis, meaning "such persons," used in legal Latin for jurors called to fill vacancies.
Synonyms
View more →
talesman
standby juror
Related words
Rhymes for tales
See all rhymes for tales →Frequently asked questions
What does “tales” mean?
The word “tales” means in law, a person available on standby to fill a vacancy on a jury. In plain terms, a legal term for reserve jurors called up when the original panel is short.
How do you pronounce “tales”?
“Tales” is pronounced TAY-leez (/ˈteɪliːz/ in IPA).
How do you use “tales” in a sentence?
Here is “tales” used in a sentence: “The clerk called in tales to complete the jury panel.”
What part of speech is “tales”?
“Tales” is a noun.
Where does the word “tales” come from?
The word “tales” comes from Latin. From Latin talis, meaning "such persons," used in legal Latin for jurors called to fill vacancies.
Is “tales” a common word?
“Tales” is a fairly common word in modern English.
Is the legal term tales the same as the plural of the word tale?
No. In law, tales refers to a person or people kept on standby to fill a vacancy on a jury, which is a distinct term from the everyday plural of tale, meaning stories. The two are spelled the same but used in completely different contexts.
What is the difference between a regular juror and a tales?
A regular juror is drawn from the official jury panel, while a tales is a person available on standby to step in if the panel falls short of the required number. The tales fills the vacancy so the jury can be completed.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include tales:
