toenail

American  

[toh-neyl] / ˈtoʊˌneɪl /

noun

1. a nail of a toe.

2. Carpentry. a nail driven obliquely.

3. Printing Slang. a parenthesis.

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verb (used with object)

1. Carpentry. to secure with oblique nailing.

toenail British  

/ ˈtəʊˌneɪl /

noun

1. a thin horny translucent plate covering part of the dorsal surface of the end joint of each toe

2. carpentry a nail driven obliquely, as in joining one beam at right angles to another

3. slang printing a parenthesis

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verb

1. (tr) carpentry to join (beams) by driving nails obliquely

Etymology

Origin of toenail

First recorded in 1835–45; toe + nail

Example Sentences

Every muscle, every toenail, every metallic surface offers sharply focused detail.

From The Wall Street Journal

Patients are being warned not to clog up A&E with everyday niggles as NHS figures show thousands turned to hospitals for minor ailments such as hiccups and ingrowing toenails last winter.

From BBC

We have all heard about Eubank's four nights in hospital and his toenails falling off.

From BBC

A Peruvian politician who had one of her advisers cut her toenails in parliament could be facing the boot.

From Barron's

Eubank was admitted to hospital after the win and said he lost a toenail to "severe dehydration".

From BBC