on the nail
Idioms-
Immediately, without delay, as in He paid us back on the nail . [c. 1600]
-
Under discussion or consideration, as in The subject of the budget deficit has been on the nail for some time . [Late 1800s] The precise allusion in these expressions has been lost. Neither has any connection to hit the nail on the head (see under hit the bull's-eye ).
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.
It’s well-known that when the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail; the relationship eventually takes its toll on the nail, too.
From Slate • Dec. 19, 2024
Ohtani had a small crack on the nail of his middle finger heading into his start against the Chicago White Sox on June 27.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 1, 2023
But it felt a little too hammer on the nail.
From New York Times • Sep. 16, 2022
Otherwise, the sandpaper would catch on the nail heads and rip.
From Washington Post • Aug. 25, 2015
Lennie growled back to his seat on the nail keg.
From "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck
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.
