dragon's tail

noun

Astronomy.

1. (formerly) the descending node of the moon or a planet.

Word History and Origins

Origin of dragon's tail¹

First recorded in 1595–1605

Example Sentences

Jack shook his head again, and this time dropped out of sight of the window, coming to a stop about halfway down the dragon’s tail.

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At the very back of the castle, the dragon’s tail stuck straight into the air, with the end of the tail forming yet another tower, this one with a lit window at its peak.

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Scientists call it “tickling the dragon’s tail,” Custer said, because the experiment approaches but stays below the stage at which the fission of nuclear materials sustains an ongoing series of chain reactions.

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RENO, Nev. — Scientists charged with ensuring the aging U.S. stockpile of nuclear weapons are good to go - if needed - say they’ll start shipping key components to Nevada’s desert next year to prepare for underground testing they call “tickling the dragon’s tail.”

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Slotin was demonstrating a risky procedure called "tickling the dragon's tail," involving a nuclear weapon core.

Read more on Scientific American