nail Definition
nail (nāl)
noun
- a thin, horny covering that grows out over the upper tip of a finger or toe
- a similar growth on a toe of a bird, reptile, etc.; claw
- a tapered piece of metal, commonly pointed and having a flattened head, driven with a hammer, and used to hold pieces or parts together, to hang things on, etc.
- an old cloth measure, equal to 2 inches
Etymology: ME naile < OE nægl, akin to Ger nagel < IE base *onogh, nail > Sans áṅghri-, foot, Gr onyx, nail, L unguis, fingernail
transitive verb
- to attach or fasten together or onto something else with or as with nails
- to secure, hold, or fasten shut with nails
- to fix (the eyes, attention, etc.) steadily on an object
- to discover or expose (a lie, etc.)
- Informal to catch, capture, seize, or intercept
- Informal to hit squarely
Etymology: ME nailen < OE mæglan
nail Idioms
hard as nails
callous, unfeeling, remorseless, etc.
hit the nail on the head
to do or say whatever is exactly right or to the point
nail down
- to fasten tightly with nails
- to settle definitely; clinch
nail up
- to fasten with nails to a wall or at some height
- to fasten (a door, window, etc.) tightly with nails
nail Synonyms
nail
n.
Types and sizes of nails include: common, copper, cement coated, masonry, dry wall, galvanized, finishing, flooring, shingle, roofing, doublehead scaffold, spiral siding, staging, boat, hinge, chair, horseshoe, brad, cut, upholsterer's, clout, box, shoe, headless, hobnail; twopenny, fourpenny, sixpenny, eightpenny, tenpenny, twelvepenny.
nail Synonyms
nail
v.
To hammer
To fasten with nails
*To arrest
hard as nails
hit the nail on the head*
nail Usage Examples
Object
jello: Creating and building effective Search Engine marketing campaigns is like trying to nail jello to the wall!
Converse of object
- hammer: Partly this may be a matter of teaching useful skills - how to hold a fork or hammer a nail.
- manicure: She has a powerful jaw and perfectly manicured nails that she loves to scratch and tear with.
- galvanize: Cone headed galvanized screw nails secure the seating lathes.
- hit: Uncle Bill hit the nail on the head with his Scooby versus Evo musings in the STI end of term report.
Adjective modifier
- rusty: Her voice had the quality of a metal chair being scraped over rusty nails.
- brittle: A: " Brittle nails are the result of severe dehydration in the nail plates.
- in-growing: I was always good at in-growing nails and Mikele's got two naughty ones.
- ingrown: Socks will help prevent blisters, calluses, corns and ingrown nails.
Modifies a noun
- varnish: You should also remove nail varnish or bring remover with you.
- polish: I never had pretty pink nail polish on or pretty pink dresses " .
- clipper: Place your scissors, nail files, nail clippers, razor blades etc. in the hold.
- remover: How is it taken: Inhaled from products such as nail varnish removers, aerosol cans and lighter fuel.
- biter: Nail biter I would like to express my thanks to you for helping me overcome my nail biting habit.
- clipping: We will be doing rabbit and guinea pig nail clipping and health checks in exchange for a small donation.
Noun used with modifier
- toe: An In growing toe nail is caused by a splinter of nail or the whole nail causing pressure into the skin.
- finger: This Chinese lute is like a Spanish guitar in some ways, with finger nails being used to pluck the strings.
- thumb: One had an infant bird in it that was no bigger then a thumb nail!
- batten: All batten nails need to penetrate a structural material by a minimum of 38mm.
Preposition: in
coffin: For Russia to follow suit would be the final nail in the coffin.
Browse dictionary entries near nail
- nail-biter ›
- nail-biting ›
- nail file ›
- nail polish ›
- nail set ›
- nailbrush ›
- nailed-up circuit ›
- nailhead ›
- nainsook ›
- naira ›

