"truth to tell"

[Wilson Gray]

FWIW, "truth to tell" and "truth be told" sound equally good to me.

-Wilson

On 8/4/06, Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at yahoo.com> wrote:
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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at YAHOO.COM>
> Subject:      Re: "truth to tell"
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> How about "sooth to tell" ?  OED has it from 1855 (s.v. _tell_, v.), but here's one that's considerably earlier :
>
>   1719 Thomas Brereton _Charnock Junior_ (London: William Chetwood) 28: And sooth to tell, thy Aspect speaks no less.
>
>   "(The) truth to tell" is even older :
>
>   ca1701 _A Cabinet of Choice Jewels_  (London: B. Deacon, n.d.) 20: And now the truth to tell, He must be from our presence sent. O _Christmas_ will now farewell [sic].
>
>   JL
>
> sagehen <sagehen at WESTELCOM.COM> wrote:
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> Sender: American Dialect Society
> Poster: sagehen
> Subject: Re: "truth to tell"
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>
> >I don't recall having heard "truth to tell" but if it did morph from "to
> >tell the truth" it probably got an analogical boost from "truth be told".
> >
> ~~~~~~~~~~
> I'm sure you're right. AND I have the same allergy to "truth be told"!
> AM
>
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