entail

[en-teyl, en-teyl, en-teyl]

verb (used with object)

1. to cause or involve by necessity or as a consequence.

   a loss entailing no regret.

2. to impose as a burden.

   Success entails hard work.

3. Law.,  to limit the passage of (real estate) to a specified line of heirs, so that it cannot be transferred or bequeathed to anyone else.

4. Law.,  to cause (anything) to descend to a fixed series of possessors.

noun

1. the act of entailing.

2. Law.,  the state of being entailed.

3. any predetermined order of succession, as to an office.

4. Law.,  something that is entailed, as an estate.

5. Law.,  the rule of descent settled for an estate.

entail

/ ɪnˈteɪl /

verb

1. to bring about or impose by necessity; have as a necessary consequence

   this task entails careful thought

2. property law to restrict (the descent of an estate) to a designated line of heirs

3. logic to have as a necessary consequence

noun

1. property law

   1. the restriction imposed by entailing an estate

   2. an estate that has been entailed

Other Word Forms

• entailer noun
• entailment noun
• preentail verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of entail¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; from Middle English entailen (verb), entail (noun), equivalent to en- ¹ + tail ² ( def. )

Word History and Origins

Origin of entail¹

C14: entaillen , from _en- ¹ + taille limitation, _tail ²

Example Sentences

Lang’s ultimate suggestion of emptiness, in performance, entails erasing his own texts, his own purpose.

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This entails the ability to monitor models effectively, set explicit boundaries on their behavior, and intervene when necessary.

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The post gave no details of what the operation would entail or how it might differ from military actions already being undertaken.

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Instead, use a put spread—which entails buying one put and selling another with a lower strike price and similar expiration.

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This entails a fair degree of political risk for Republicans, however.

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Related Words

• bring about 
• call for 
• encompass 
• involve 
• lead to www.thesaurus.com
• necessitate 
• require