shirttail

[ shurt-teyl ]

noun

1. the part of a shirt below the waistline.
2. Journalism. a brief item added at the end of a related newspaper story. Compare follow-up ( def 3b ).

adjective

1. quite young and immature in behavior.
2. Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S. of distant relation, especially by marriage:

   some shirttail cousins I'd never met.

verb (used with object)

1. Informal. to append or add (an item) to a discussion or writing:

   The tariff concessions were shirttailed onto the trade bill.

Word History and Origins

Origin of shirttail¹

An Americanism dating back to 1835–45; shirt + tail ¹

Example Sentences

We then and there decided, almost unanimously, to follow Shirttail.

From Project Gutenberg

Then Penelope hobbled up and pulled Mark's shirttail out of his trousers.

From Project Gutenberg

Tom opened one of the containers of water and dipped his shirttail into it.

From Project Gutenberg