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nail
[ neyl ]
noun
- a slender, typically rod-shaped rigid piece of metal, usually in any of numerous standard lengths from a fraction of an inch to several inches and having one end pointed and the other enlarged and flattened, for hammering into or through wood, other building materials, etc., as used in building, in fastening, or in holding separate pieces together.
- a thin, horny plate, consisting of modified epidermis, growing on the upper side of the end of a finger or toe.
- a former measure of length for cloth, equal to 2.25 inches (5.7 centimeters).
verb (used with object)
- to fasten with a nail or nails:
to nail the cover on a box.
- to enclose or confine (something) by nailing (often followed by up ):
to nail up oranges in a crate.
- to make fast or keep firmly in one place or position:
Surprise nailed him to the spot.
- to accomplish perfectly:
the only gymnast to nail the dismount.
- Informal.
- to secure by prompt action; catch or seize:
The police nailed him with the goods.
- to catch (a person) in some difficulty, lie, etc.
- to detect and expose (a lie, scandal, etc.).
- Slang. to hit (a person):
He nailed him on the chin with an uppercut in the first round.
- to focus intently on an object or subject:
She kept her eyes nailed on the suspicious customer.
- Obsolete. to stud with or as if with nails.
verb phrase
- to make final; settle once and for all:
Signing the contract will nail down our agreement.
nail
/ neɪl /
noun
- a fastening device usually made from round or oval wire, having a point at one end and a head at the other
- anything resembling such a fastening device, esp in function or shape
- the horny plate covering part of the dorsal surface of the fingers or toes See fingernail toenail ungualungular
- the claw of a mammal, bird, or reptile
- slang.a hypodermic needle, used for injecting drugs
- a unit of length, formerly used for measuring cloth, equal to two and a quarter inches
- a nail in one's coffinan experience or event that tends to shorten life or hasten the end of something
- bite one's nails
- to chew off the ends of one's fingernails
- to be worried or apprehensive
- hard as nails
- in tough physical condition
- without sentiment or feelings
- hit the nail on the headto do or say something correct or telling
- on the nail(of payments) at once (esp in the phrase pay on the nail )
verb
- to attach with or as if with nails
- informal.to arrest or seize
- informal.to hit or bring down, as with a shot
I nailed the sniper
- informal.to expose or detect (a lie or liar)
- to fix or focus (one's eyes, attention, etc) on an object
- to stud with nails
Derived Forms
- ˈnail-less, adjective
- ˈnailer, noun
Other Words From
- nailless adjective
- naillike adjective
- re·nail verb (used with object)
Word History and Origins
Origin of nail1
Word History and Origins
Origin of nail1
Idioms and Phrases
- hit the nail on the head, to say or do exactly the right thing; be accurate or correct:
Your analysis really hit the nail on the head.
- nail in someone's / something's coffin, something that hastens the demise or failure of a person or thing:
Every moment's delay is another nail in his coffin.
- on the nail, Informal.
- of present interest; under discussion.
- without delay; on the spot; at once:
He was offered a job on the nail.
More idioms and phrases containing nail
- bite one's nails
- fight tooth and nail
- hard as nails
- hit the bull's-eye (nail on the head)
- on the nail
Example Sentences
Nothing about Stonewall’s landmark status prevents the building from reverting to a bagel shop or morphing into a dentist’s office or a nail salon.
The first bombing was in August 2003 with two explosions an hour apart on the campus of a biotechnology company, followed by a nail bomb at a nutritional products company a month later.
Asked by reporters during his news conference about a mark on his nose, Guardiola made a scratching motion and said: "With my finger, my nail."
Judges pulled answers from him like rusty nails from hard wood.
“Trino was there with her to get her nails and hair done. I would work hard to make sure she had everything she needed.”
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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.
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