tailor-make

[ tey-ler-meyk ]

verb (used with object)

, tai·lor-made, tai·lor-mak·ing.

1. to make or adjust to meet the needs of the particular situation, individual, object, etc.:

   to tailor-make a tour.

Word History and Origins

Origin of tailor-make¹

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

I recently had a local tailor make my 6-year-old son a gorgeous little two-piece suit, for which he charged about $500.

From The Daily Beast

I had the company tailor make a sort of a cloak for me from a buffalo skin, beaver skin mittens and a cap with ear-laps.

From Project Gutenberg

The tailor make one thundering big fox's skin, big enough for Simpson to get inside of it.

From Project Gutenberg

I forgot to mention that while in Portland I had a tailor make me a very handsome suit of military clothes.

From Project Gutenberg

We consequently bade the tailor make long pantaloons, and they were quite six inches too long.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• accommodate
• accustom
• adapt
• alter
• conform
• fine-tune
• fix
• modify
• regulate
• tailor

More About Tailor Make

What does tailor-make mean?

Tailor-make means to make to fit the needs or specifications of a particular situation, object, or person.

It means to make something in the way that a tailor would make a piece of clothing for someone by fitting it to their exact measurements and needs.

Tailor-make can be used in the context of clothing, but it’s more often used in a figurative sense, meaning the same thing as custom-make: to make something to unique specifications so that it fits perfectly and it’s one of a kind.

Things made in such a way can be described with the adjective tailor-made, which can mean literally made by a tailor, or, more generally, made to unique specifications—or seeming to have been made that way.

Example: We tailor-make a curriculum for each student to meet their individual needs.

Where does tailor-make come from?

The first records of the term tailor-make come from around 1900. Tailor-made is recorded earlier, in the 1800s. The ending -make is used in the same way in custom-make (which has the similar adjective form custom-made).

Tailors are associated with their skill in making garments that fit perfectly. By itself, the verb tailor can mean to adjust things to fit a specific situation. When you tailor-make something, you do it so that it fits perfectly with an object or a situation. Although it means much the same thing as custom-make, tailor-make is perhaps less commonly used in the context of products being sold.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to tailor-make?

• tailor-made (past tense verb, adjective)

What are some synonyms for tailor-make?

• custom-make

What are some words that share a root or word element with tailor-make? 

• tailor
• tailored
• handmade
• homemade

What are some words that often get used in discussing tailor-make?

• fit
• perfectly
• specifications
• order
• one of a kind
• made-to-order
• made-to-measure
• custom
• bespoke

How is tailor-make used in real life?

Tailor-make is used as another way of saying custom-make.

We offer a wide range of hosting packages and if none of them suit your needs we can tailor make one just for you: https://t.co/Rkf0FXZyLZ #wordpress #bizitalk #hosting #wpengine

— Jigowatt (@jigowatt) July 30, 2020

All I want from life is for Daniel Day-Lewis to tailor-make me a gown.

— Dennis DiClaudio (@dennisdiclaudio) February 13, 2018

If you're in Los Angeles and wanna know which @iffla films to see, just ask. I'll tailor-make you a viewing schedule, cuz we're friends.

— Mike Dougherty (@Mike_Doc) April 1, 2014

 

 

Try using tailor-make!

Is tailor-make used correctly in the following sentence?

They didn’t have the replacement part I needed, so I had to tailor-make one.