Adjacent Words

To turn tail definitions

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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

To turn one's coat, to change one's uniform or colors; to go over to the opposite party. To turn one's goods or money, and the like, to exchange in the course of trade; to keep in lively exchange or circulation; to gain or increase in trade. To turn one's hand to, to adapt or apply one's self to; to engage in. To turn out. (a) To drive out; to expel; as, to turn a family out of doors; to turn a man out of office. I'll turn you out of my kingdom. -- Shak. (b) to put to pasture, as cattle or horses. (c) To produce, as the result of labor, or any process of manufacture; to furnish in a completed state. (d) To reverse, as a pocket, bag, etc., so as to bring the inside to the outside; hence, to produce. (e) To cause to cease, or to put out, by turning a stopcock, valve, or the like; as, to turn out the lights. To turn over. (a) To change or reverse the position of; to overset; to overturn; to cause to roll over. (b) To transfer; as, to turn over business to another hand. (c) To read or examine, as a book, while, turning the leaves. ``We turned o'er many books together.'' --Shak. (d) To handle in business; to do business to the amount of; as, he turns over millions a year. [Colloq.] To turn over a new leaf. See under Leaf. To turn tail, to run away; to retreat ignominiously. To turn the back, to flee; to retreat. To turn the back on or upon, to treat with contempt; to reject or refuse unceremoniously. To turn the corner, to pass the critical stage; to get by the worst point; hence, to begin to improve, or to succeed. To turn the die or dice, to change fortune. To turn the edge or point of, to bend over the edge or point of so as to make dull; to blunt. To turn the head or brain of, to make giddy, wild, insane, or the like; to infatuate; to overthrow the reason or judgment of; as, a little success turned his head. To turn the scale or balance, to change the preponderance; to decide or determine something doubtful. To turn the stomach of, to nauseate; to sicken. To turn the tables, to reverse the chances or conditions of success or superiority; to give the advantage to the person or side previously at a disadvantage. To turn tippet, to make a change. [Obs.] --B. Jonson. To turn to profit, advantage, etc., to make profitable or advantageous. To turn up. (a) To turn so as to bring the bottom side on top; as, to turn up the trump. (b) To bring from beneath to the surface, as in plowing, digging, etc. (c) To give an upward curve to; to tilt; as, to turn up the nose. To turn upon, to retort; to throw back; as, to turn the arguments of an opponent upon himself. To turn upside down, to confuse by putting things awry; to throw into disorder. This house is turned upside down since Robin Ostler died. --Shak.