Adjacent Words

Tail definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

TAIL, n.
1. The part of an animal which terminates its body behind. In many quadrupeds, the tail is a shoot or projection covered with hair. In fowls, the tail consists of feathers, or is covered with them, which serve to assist in the direction of their flight. In fishes the tail is formed usually by a gradual sloping of the body, ending in a fin. The tail of a fish may assist the animal in steering, but its principal use is to propel the fish forward. It is the instrument of swimming.
2. The lower part,noting inferiority.
The Lord will make thee the head, and not the tail. Deutoronomy 28.
3. Any thing hanging long; a catkin.
4. The hinder part of any thing.
5. In anatomy, that tendon of a muscle which is fixed to the movable part.
6. In botany, the tail of a seed, is a downy or feathery appendage to certain seeds, formed of the permanent elongated style.
7. Horse's tail, among the Tartars and Chinese, is an ensign or flag; among the Turks, a standard borne before the grand visier, bashaws and the sangiacs. For this purpose, it is fitted to a half-pike with a gold button, and is called toug. There are bashaws of one, two and three tails.
8. In heraldry, the tail of a hart.
9. In music, the part of a note running upwards or downwards.
10. The extremity or last end; as the tail of a storm.
Tail of a comet, a luminous train which extends from the nucleus in a direction opposite to the sun.
To turn tail, is to run away; to flee.
Tail of a lock, on a canal, the lower end, or entrance into the lower pond.
Tail-piece, of a violin, is a piece of ebony attached to the end of the instrument, to which the strings are fastened.
TAIL, n. In law, an estate in tail is a limited fee; an estate limited to certain heirs, and from which the other heirs are precluded. Estates tail are general or special; general, where lands and tenements are given to one, and to the heirs of his body begotten; special, where the gift is restrained to certain heirs of the donee;s body, as to his heirs by a particular woman names. See Entail.]
TAIL, v.t. To pull by the tail.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the posterior part of the body of a vertebrate especially when elongated and extending beyond the trunk or main part of the body
2: the time of the last part of something; "the fag end of this crisis-ridden century"; "the tail of the storm" [syn: fag end, tail, tail end]
3: any projection that resembles the tail of an animal [syn: tail, tail end]
4: the fleshy part of the human body that you sit on; "he deserves a good kick in the butt"; "are you going to sit on your fanny and do nothing?" [syn: buttocks, nates, arse, butt, backside, bum, buns, can, fundament, hindquarters, hind end, keister, posterior, prat, rear, rear end, rump, stern, seat, tail, tail end, tooshie, tush, bottom, behind, derriere, fanny, ass]
5: a spy employed to follow someone and report their movements [syn: tail, shadow, shadower]
6: (usually plural) the reverse side of a coin that does not bear the representation of a person's head [ant: head]
7: the rear part of an aircraft [syn: tail, tail assembly, empennage]
8: the rear part of a ship [syn: stern, after part, quarter, poop, tail] v
1: go after with the intent to catch; "The policeman chased the mugger down the alley"; "the dog chased the rabbit" [syn: chase, chase after, trail, tail, tag, give chase, dog, go after, track]
2: remove or shorten the tail of an animal [syn: dock, tail, bob]
3: remove the stalk of fruits or berries

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Usage: often attributive Etymology: Middle English, from Old English tægel; akin to Old High German zagal tail, Middle Irish dúal lock of hair Date: before 12th century 1. the rear end or a process or prolongation of the rear end of the body of an animal 2. something resembling an animal's tail in shape or position: as a. a luminous stream of particles, gases, or ions extending from a comet especially in the antisolar direction b. the rear part of an airplane consisting usually of horizontal and vertical stabilizing surfaces with attached control surfaces 3. retinue 4. plural a. tailcoat b. full evening dress for men 5. a. buttocks, butt b. usually vulgar sexual intercourse 6. the back, last, lower, or inferior part of something 7. tailing 1 — usually used in plural 8. the reverse of a coin — usually used in plural <tails, I win> 9. one (as a detective) who follows or keeps watch on someone 10. the blank space at the bottom of a page 11. a location immediately or not far behind <had a posse on his tail> • tailed adjective • tailless adjective • taillike adjective II. verb Date: 1523 transitive verb 1. to connect end to end 2. a. to remove the tail of (an animal) ; dock b. to remove the stem or bottom part of <topping and tailing gooseberries> 3. a. to make or furnish with a tail b. to follow or be drawn behind like a tail 4. to follow for purposes of surveillance intransitive verb 1. to form or move in a straggling line 2. to grow progressively smaller, fainter, or more scattered ; abate — usually used with off <productivity is tailing off — Tom Nicholson> 3. to swing or lie with the stern in a named direction — used of a ship at anchor 4. tag II • tailer noun III. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from tailler Date: 14th century entail 1a IV. adjective Etymology: Middle English taille, from Anglo-French taylé, past participle of tailler to cut, limit — more at tailor Date: 15th century limited as to tenure ; entailed

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. n. & v. 1 the hindmost part of an animal, esp. when prolonged beyond the rest of the body. 2 a a thing like a tail in form or position, esp. something extending downwards or outwards at an extremity. b the rear end of anything, e.g. of a procession. c a long train or line of people, vehicles, etc. 3 a the rear part of an aeroplane, with the tailplane and rudder, or of a rocket. b the rear part of a motor vehicle. 4 the luminous trail of particles following a comet. 5 a the inferior or weaker part of anything, esp. in a sequence. b Cricket the end of the batting order, with the weakest batsmen. 6 a the part of a shirt below the waist. b the hanging part of the back of a coat. 7 (in pl.) colloq. a a tailcoat. b evening dress including this. 8 (in pl.) the reverse of a coin as a choice when tossing. 9 colloq. a person following or shadowing another. 10 an extra strip attached to the lower end of a kite. 11 the stem of a note in music. 12 the part of a letter (e.g. y) below the line. 13 a the exposed end of a slate or tile in a roof. b the unexposed end of a brick or stone in a wall. 14 the slender backward prolongation of a butterfly's wing. 15 a comparative calm at the end of a gale. 16 a calm stretch following rough water in a stream. --v. 1 tr. remove the stalks of (fruit). 2 tr. & (foll. by after) intr. colloq. shadow or follow closely. 3 tr. provide with a tail. 4 tr. dock the tail of (a lamb etc.). 5 tr. (often foll. by on to) join (one thing to another). Phrases and idioms: on a person's tail closely following a person. tail back (of traffic) form a tailback. tail covert any of the feathers covering the base of a bird's tail feathers. tail-end 1 the hindmost or lowest or last part. 2 (sense 5 of the n.). tail-ender a person at the tail-end of something, esp. in cricket and athletic races. tail in fasten (timber) by one end into a wall etc. tail-light (or -lamp) US a light at the rear of a train, motor vehicle, or bicycle. tail off (or away) 1 become fewer, smaller, or slighter. 2 fall behind or away in a scattered line. tail-off n. a decline or gradual reduction, esp. in demand. tail-race the part of a mill-race below the water-wheel. tail-skid a support for the tail of an aircraft when on the ground. tail wind a wind blowing in the direction of travel of a vehicle or aircraft etc. with one's tail between one's legs in a state of dejection or humiliation. with one's tail up in good spirits; cheerful. Derivatives: tailed adj. (also in comb.). tailless adj. Etymology: OE tægl, tægel f. Gmc 2. n. & adj. Law --n. limitation of ownership, esp. of an estate limited to a person and that person's heirs. --adj. so limited (estate tail; fee tail). Phrases and idioms: in tail under such a limitation. Etymology: ME f. OF taille notch, cut, tax, f. taillier cut ult. f. L talea twig

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Tail Tail, n. 1. pl. (Rope Making) In some forms of rope-laying machine, pieces of rope attached to the iron bar passing through the grooven wooden top containing the strands, for wrapping around the rope to be laid. 2. pl. A tailed coat; a tail coat. [Colloq. or Dial.]

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Tail Tail, n. (A["e]ronautics) In flying machines, a plane or group of planes used at the rear to confer stability.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Tail Tail, n. [AS. t[ae]gel, t[ae]gl; akin to G. zagel, Icel. tagl, Sw. tagel, Goth. tagl hair. [root]59.] 1. (Zo["o]l.) The terminal, and usually flexible, posterior appendage of an animal. Note: The tail of mammals and reptiles contains a series of movable vertebr[ae], and is covered with flesh and hairs or scales like those of other parts of the body. The tail of existing birds consists of several more or less consolidated vertebr[ae] which supports a fanlike group of quills to which the term tail is more particularly applied. The tail of fishes consists of the tapering hind portion of the body ending in a caudal fin. The term tail is sometimes applied to the entire abdomen of a crustacean or insect, and sometimes to the terminal piece or pygidium alone. 2. Any long, flexible terminal appendage; whatever resembles, in shape or position, the tail of an animal, as a catkin. Doretus writes a great praise of the distilled waters of those tails that hang on willow trees. --Harvey. 3. Hence, the back, last, lower, or inferior part of anything, -- as opposed to the head, or the superior part. The Lord will make thee the head, and not the tail. --Deut. xxviii. 13. 4. A train or company of attendants; a retinue. ``Ah,'' said he, ``if you saw but the chief with his tail on.'' --Sir W. Scott. 5. The side of a coin opposite to that which bears the head, effigy, or date; the reverse; -- rarely used except in the expression ``heads or tails,'' employed when a coin is thrown up for the purpose of deciding some point by its fall. 6. (Anat.) The distal tendon of a muscle. 7. (Bot.) A downy or feathery appendage to certain achenes. It is formed of the permanent elongated style. 8. (Surg.) (a) A portion of an incision, at its beginning or end, which does not go through the whole thickness of the skin, and is more painful than a complete incision; -- called also tailing. (b) One of the strips at the end of a bandage formed by splitting the bandage one or more times. 9. (Naut.) A rope spliced to the strap of a block, by which it may be lashed to anything. 10. (Mus.) The part of a note which runs perpendicularly upward or downward from the head; the stem. --Moore (Encyc. of Music). 11. pl. Same as Tailing, 4. 12. (Arch.) The bottom or lower portion of a member or part, as a slate or tile. 13. pl. (Mining) See Tailing, n., 5. Tail beam. (Arch.) Same as Tailpiece. Tail coverts (Zo["o]l.), the feathers which cover the bases of the tail quills. They are sometimes much longer than the quills, and form elegant plumes. Those above the quills are called the upper tail coverts, and those below, the under tail coverts. Tail end, the latter end; the termination; as, the tail end of a contest. [Colloq.] Tail joist. (Arch.) Same as Tailpiece. Tail of a comet (Astron.), a luminous train extending from the nucleus or body, often to a great distance, and usually in a direction opposite to the sun. Tail of a gale (Naut.), the latter part of it, when the wind has greatly abated. --Totten. Tail of a lock (on a canal), the lower end, or entrance into the lower pond. Tail of the trenches (Fort.), the post where the besiegers begin to break ground, and cover themselves from the fire of the place, in advancing the lines of approach. Tail spindle, the spindle of the tailstock of a turning lathe; -- called also dead spindle. To turn tail, to run away; to flee. Would she turn tail to the heron, and fly quite out another way; but all was to return in a higher pitch. --Sir P. Sidney.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Tail Tail, n. [F. taille a cutting. See Entail, Tally.] (Law) Limitation; abridgment. --Burrill. Estate in tail, a limited, abridged, or reduced fee; an estate limited to certain heirs, and from which the other heirs are precluded; -- called also estate tail. --Blackstone.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Tail Tail, a. (Law) Limited; abridged; reduced; curtailed; as, estate tail.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Tail Tail, v. t. 1. To follow or hang to, like a tail; to be attached closely to, as that which can not be evaded. [Obs.] Nevertheless his bond of two thousand pounds, wherewith he was tailed, continued uncanceled, and was called on the next Parliament. --Fuller. 2. To pull or draw by the tail. [R.] --Hudibras. To tail in or on (Arch.), to fasten by one of the ends into a wall or some other support; as, to tail in a timber.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Tail Tail, v. i. 1. (Arch.) To hold by the end; -- said of a timber when it rests upon a wall or other support; -- with in or into. 2. (Naut.) To swing with the stern in a certain direction; -- said of a vessel at anchor; as, this vessel tails down stream. Tail on. (Naut.) See Tally on, under Tally.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(tails, tailing, tailed) Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English. 1. The tail of an animal, bird, or fish is the part extending beyond the end of its body. ...a black dog with a long tail. N-COUNT • -tailed ...white-tailed deer. COMB in ADJ 2. You can use tail to refer to the end or back of something, especially something long and thin. ...the horizontal stabilizer bar on the plane's tail... N-COUNT: usu with supp 3. If a man is wearing tails, he is wearing a formal jacket which has two long pieces hanging down at the back. N-PLURAL 4. To tail someone means to follow close behind them and watch where they go and what they do. (INFORMAL) Officers had tailed the gang from London during a major undercover inquiry... He trusted her so little that he had her tailed. = shadow VERB: V n, have n V-ed 5. If you toss a coin and it comes down tails, you can see the side of it that does not have a picture of a head on it. ADV: ADV after v 6. If you say that you have your tail between your legs, you are emphasizing that you feel defeated and ashamed. His team retreated last night with tails tucked firmly between their legs. PHRASE: PHR after v, with PHR [emphasis] 7. cannot make head or tail of something: see head

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

tal ('alyah; zanabh; oura): The broad tail of the Syrian sheep, wrongly rendered "rump" (which see) in the King James Version, is mentioned as one of the portions of sacrifice which was burned on the altar as a sweet savor to God (Ex 29:22). The 2nd Hebrew word is used of the tails of serpents (Ex 4:4), of foxes, which Samson tied together in his cruel sport, in order to destroy the grainfields of the Philistines by means of attached firebrands (Jud 15:4, etc.). The following seems to be an allusion to this incident: "Fear not, neither let thy heart be faint, because of these two tails of smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria, and of the son of Remaliah" (Isa 7:4).

Figurative: "Tail" = inferiority, as opposed to "head" = superiority, leadership. "Yahweh will make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if thou shalt hearken unto the commandments of Yahweh" (De 28:13; compare also 28:44).

In the New Testament we find oura used of the apocalyptic animals, scorpions, horses, and the dragon (Re 9:10,19; 12:4).

H. L. E. Luering

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. n. 1. Caudal appendage, hinder part. 2. Back part, lower part, inferior part. 3. End, extremity, fag-end, conclusion. 4. Skirt, flap. 5. Catkin. 6. Train, retinue. 7. Horse-tail, Turkish standard. 8. (Bot.) Petiole or peduncle. 9. (Law.) Limitation, abridgment. 10. (Mus.) Stem (of a note). II. a. (Law.) Limited, abridged, reduced, curtailed.

1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue

A prostitute. Also, a sword.

Moby Thesaurus

Thule, Ultima Thule, acknowledgments, adherent, affix, aft, after, aftermost, afterpart, afterpiece, allonge, appendage, appendix, arm, arse, ass, attendant, back, back door, back matter, back seat, back side, backside, backward, bastard title, bedog, behind, bibliography, bitter end, bottom, bottom dollar, bough, boundary, braid, branch, breech, brush, buff, bum, bun, butt, butt end, buttocks, can, catch line, catchword, cauda, caudal, caudal appendage, caudate, caudated, caudation, caudiform, cavaliere servente, chase, cheeks, chignon, coda, codicil, coil, colophon, come after, come behind, commentary, conclusive, contents, contents page, copyright page, courtier, croup, cue, dangler, dedication, definitive, dependent, determinative, disciple, dock, dog, enclitic, endleaf, endmost, endpaper, endsheet, envoi, epilogue, errata, eventual, extreme, extremity, eye, fag end, fan, fanny, fantail, farthest, farthest bound, final, flag, flunky, flyleaf, folio, follow, follow a clue, follow up, follower, following, fore edge, foreword, front matter, go after, go behind, half-title page, hand, hanger-on, head, heel, henchman, hind, hind end, hind part, hinder, hindermost, hindhand, hindhead, hindmost, homme de cour, hound, hunt down, imp, imprint, index, infix, inscription, interlineation, interpolation, introduction, joint, jumping-off place, keister, knot, last, leaf, leg, limb, limit, limiting, link, lobe, lobule, makeup, marginalia, member, move behind, nib, nose, nose out, note, occiput, offshoot, organ, page, parasite, partisan, pigtail, pinion, plait, point, polar, pole, posterior, postern, postscript, prat, preface, prefix, preliminaries, proclitic, public, pursue, pursuer, pursuivant, queue, rabbit, ramification, rattail, rear, rear end, rearmost, rearward, recto, retrograde, reverse, reverso, rider, rump, run down, run to earth, runner, running title, rusty-dusty, satellite, scholia, scion, sectary, shadow, signature, smell out, sniff out, spray, sprig, spur, stalk, stern, stooge, string along, stub, stump, subtitle, successor, suffix, supporter, switch, tab, table of contents, tag, tag after, tag along, tag end, tagtail, tail end, tailed, tailgate, taillike, tailpiece, tendril, terminal, terminating, terminative, text, tip, title, title page, topknot, trace, trace down, track, track down, trail, trail after, trailer, train, trainbearer, tread close upon, trim size, tuchis, tush, tushy, twig, twist, type page, ultimate, verso, votary, wake, ward heeler, wing