Dictionary Home » Dictionary Definitions » tail

tail

Listen See in Thesaurus See in a sentence

The definition of a tail is the rear end of an animal's body that usually forms a flexible appendage.

(noun)

An example of a tail is what a dog wags when it's happy.

Tail is defined as the rear, bottom or last portion of something or a long bundle of hair.

(noun)

An example of a tail is the rear end of an airplane.
An example of a tail is the reverse side of a coin.
An example of a tail is the portion of long hair bundled at the top of a samurai's head.

See tail in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

1. the rear end of an animal's body, esp. when forming a distinct, flexible appendage to the trunk
2. such an appendage
anything like an animal's tail in form or position: the tail of a shirt
a luminous train behind a comet or meteor
the hind, bottom, last, or inferior part of anything
the reverse side of a coin
a long braid or tress of hair
a train of followers or attendants; retinue
the lower end of a pool or stream
1. the rear or back section of an aircraft
2. a set of stabilizing planes at the rear of an airplane
3. the rear part of a rocket or missile
☆
1. tailcoat
2. full-dress attire for men
Informal a person or vehicle that follows another, esp. in surveillance
Slang the buttocks
Slang, Vulgar
1. sexual intercourse with a woman
2. a woman regarded as a sexual partner
Printing the bottom of a page
Prosody the short line or lines ending certain stanzas or verse forms

Origin: ME < OE tægel, akin to OHG zagel < IE base *de-, to tear, tear off > Sans saśā, fringe

adjective

at the rear or rear end
from the rear: a tail wind

transitive verb

to provide with a tail
to cut or detach the tail or taillike part from
to form the tail or end of, as of a group or procession; be at the rear or end of
to fasten or connect at or by the tail
to fasten one end of (a brick, board, etc.) into a wall, etc.: with in or on
☆ Slang to follow stealthily; shadow

intransitive verb

to straggle
to become gradually smaller or fainter: with off or away
to be fastened into a wall, etc. by one end: said of a brick or board
☆ Informal to follow close behind
Naut. to go aground or be anchored stern foremost

Related Forms:

tailless adjective
taillike adjective

noun

entail ( & )

Origin: ME taile < OFr taille, a cutting < taillier: see tailor

adjective

limited in a specific way, as to certain heirs or order of succession

See tail in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

The posterior part of an animal, especially when elongated and extending beyond the trunk or main part of the body.
The bottom, rear, or hindmost part: the tail of a shirt.
The rear end of a wagon or other vehicle.
a. The rear portion of the fuselage of an aircraft.
b. An assembly of stabilizing planes and control surfaces in this rear portion.
The vaned rear portion of a bomb or missile.
An appendage to the rear or bottom of a thing: the tail of a kite.
The long luminous stream of gas and dust forced from the head of a comet when it is close to the sun.
A braid of hair; a pigtail.
Something that follows or takes the last place: the tail of a journey.
A train of followers; a retinue.
The end of a line of persons or things.
The short closing line of certain stanzas of verse.
The refuse or dross remaining from processes such as distilling or milling.
Printing The bottom of a page; the bottom margin.
(used with a sing. verb) The side of a coin not having the principal design and the date. Often used in the plural with a singular verb.
Informal The trail of a person or an animal in flight.
Informal A person assigned or employed to follow and report on someone else's movements and actions: The police put a tail on the suspected drug dealer.
tails
a. A formal evening costume typically worn by men.
b. A tailcoat.
a. Slang The buttocks.
b. Vulgar Slang A sexual partner, especially a woman.

adjective

Of or relating to a tail or tails: tail feathers.
Situated in the tail, as of an airplane: a tail gunner.

verb tailed, tail·ing, tails

verb, transitive

To provide with a tail: tail a kite.
To deprive of a tail; dock.
To serve as the tail of: The Santa Claus float tailed the parade.
To connect (often dissimilar or incongruous objects) by or as if by the tail or end: tail two ideas together.
Architecture To set one end of (a beam, board, or brick) into a wall.
Informal To follow and keep under surveillance.

verb, intransitive

To become lengthened or spaced when moving in a line: The patrol tailed out in pairs.
Architecture To be inserted at one end into a wall, as a floor timber or beam.
Informal To follow: tailed after the leader.
Nautical
a. To go aground with the stern foremost.
b. To lie or swing with the stern in a named direction, as when riding at anchor or on a mooring.
Sports To veer from a straight course in the direction of the dominant hand of the player propelling the ball: a pitch that tails away from the batter.

Phrasal Verbs: tail down To ease a heavy load down a steep slope.tail off/away To diminish gradually; dwindle or subside: The fireworks tailed off into darkness.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English

Origin: , from Old English tǽgel

Related Forms: