fishtail
Americanverb (used without object)
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to swerve or skid from side to side, as the rear end of a car.
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to slow an airplane by causing its tail to move rapidly from side to side.
noun
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such a maneuver.
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a gas burner having two jets crossing each other so as to produce a flame resembling a fish's tail.
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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.
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Jewelry. a setting consisting of four prominent triangular corner prongs to hold the stone.
noun
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an aeroplane manoeuvre in which the tail is moved from side to side to reduce speed
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a nozzle having a long narrow slot at the top, placed over a Bunsen burner to produce a thin fanlike flame
verb
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to slow an aeroplane by moving the tail from side to side
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to drive with the rear of the vehicle moving from side to side in an uncontrolled fashion
Etymology
Origin of fishtail
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The fishtail halter dress, made from an African wax Akara fabric picked out by Mpamaugo’s mother, was a medley of shapes, patterns and colors.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 9, 2026
The world provides guardrails against our juvenile impulses, particularly the ones we continue to drag behind us as we fishtail into our middle years.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 16, 2023
The car started to fishtail before sliding out of control off the runway and into a grassy area from which spectators were watching.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 25, 2021
With the locals and fans shrieking at what they saw, she engaged all of her core strength to fishtail like a Formula 1 car under full acceleration.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2021
Henry cranks the wheel left, as instructed, and we fishtail, until he manages to gain control, straightening out, then punches the gas.
From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
