a piece of cloth or bunting, often attached to a staff, with distinctive colors, patterns, or symbolic devices, used as a national or state symbol, as a signal, etc.; banner; standard; ensign
Now Rare long feathers or quills, as on a hawk
the tail of a deer
the bushy tail of certain dogs, as setters and some hounds
something, as a tab of metal or cardboard, that is attached to a card, folder, etc. so that it may be found easily, as in a file
Comput. a character, symbol, etc. used to mark data or a record for special attention
Music any of the lines extending from a stem, indicating whether the note is an eighth, sixteenth, etc.