fishtail

[ fish-teyl ]

/ ˈfɪʃˌteɪl /

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See synonyms for fishtail on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object)

to swerve or skid from side to side, as the rear end of a car.

to slow an airplane by causing its tail to move rapidly from side to side.

noun

such a maneuver.

a gas burner having two jets crossing each other so as to produce a flame resembling a fish's tail.

a device having a long, narrow slot at the top, placed over a gas jet, as of a Bunsen burner, to give a thin, fanlike flame.

Jewelry. a setting consisting of four prominent triangular corner prongs to hold the stone.

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Hold your head up high as you embark on this quiz that explores some of the synonyms and meanings of “pride.”

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What does "dignity" mean?

showing self-respect

treating others with kindness

acting selfishly

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Origin of fishtail

1400–50; late Middle English. See fish, tail¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use fishtail in a sentence

When Chérif got out of prison, he worked at the fish counter of a supermarket.
France Mourns—and Hunts|Nico Hines, Christopher Dickey|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
“The government just wanted to catch the big fish [in the Juarez cartel] and they ignored everything in between,” Lozoya said.
An Informant, a Missing American, and Juarez’s House of Death: Inside the 12-Year Cold Case of David Castro|Bill Conroy|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The young man had the presence of mind to tail Gaylard Williams out of the park and jot down his license plate.
Exposed: The Gay-Bashing Pastor’s Same-Sex Assault|M.L. Nestel|December 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Kocurek documented the scene with notes and diagrams, and called the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Two Texas Regulators Tried to Enforce the Rules. They Were Fired.|David Hasemyer, InsideClimate News|December 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST

A U.S. Fish and Wildlife officer corroborated another account.
Two Texas Regulators Tried to Enforce the Rules. They Were Fired.|David Hasemyer, InsideClimate News|December 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He must be The saltest fish that swims the sea.And, oh!He has a secret woe!
Boys and Girls Bookshelf; a Practical Plan of Character Building, Volume I (of 17)|Various
The dog stood with hanging head and tail, as if ashamed he had let so many of his enemies get away unharmed.
The Courier of the Ozarks|Byron A. Dunn
The Arab pricked his ears, swished his long and arched tail viciously, and showed the whites of his eyes.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy
It was no worm that Mrs. Robin had found, but Grandfather Mole's hairless tail sticking out of the ground.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole|Arthur Scott Bailey
He looked up from his fish and replied, somewhat cuttingly, "By contesting a borough and getting elected."
Ancestors|Gertrude Atherton

British Dictionary definitions for fishtail (1 of 2)

fishtail

/ (ˈfɪʃˌteɪl) /

noun

an aeroplane manoeuvre in which the tail is moved from side to side to reduce speed

a nozzle having a long narrow slot at the top, placed over a Bunsen burner to produce a thin fanlike flame

verb (intr)

to slow an aeroplane by moving the tail from side to side

to drive with the rear of the vehicle moving from side to side in an uncontrolled fashion

British Dictionary definitions for fishtail (2 of 2)

fish tail

noun

a step in ballroom dancing in which the feet are quickly crossed

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

fishtail

Origin of fishtail

Words related to fishtail

How to use fishtail in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for fishtail (1 of 2)

British Dictionary definitions for fishtail (2 of 2)