[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/telly/)

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# telly

noun (the telly, tellies — UK, Ireland, Australia, NZ, informal)

«telly» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (informal, UK) Telly is a television set. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/telly/#m1)
2. (informal, UK) Telly is the programmes shown on television. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/telly/#m2)

### In the lessons

It is the everyday British, Irish, Australian and New Zealand word for TV. Children say «What's on the telly?» or «Can I watch telly?» In stories it shows a casual, friendly voice. Phrases: watch telly, on the telly, turn the telly on/off, telly addict.

### Examples

- Can I watch telly after my homework? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/telly/#x1)
- What's on the telly tonight? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/telly/#x2)
- Nan fell asleep in front of the telly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/telly/#x3)
- Turn the telly off and come for tea. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/telly/#x4)
- We saw our school on the telly! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/telly/#x5)
- We bought a new telly for the living room. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/telly/#x6)
- I watched 2 hours of telly on Saturday and 3 on Sunday, 5 in all. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/telly/#x7)

### Note

Informal, short for television. Plural «tellies». In the USA people say «TV». It is fine in speech but should be «television» in formal writing.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «telly» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/telly/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«telly» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/telly.html) on Mova free.