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Webster's New World College Dictionary » tailless
tailless
Variant of tail
tail
definition
tail (tāl)
noun
- the rear end of an animal's body, esp. when forming a distinct, flexible appendage to the trunk
- 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
- the rear or back section of an aircraft
- a set of stabilizing planes at the rear of an airplane
- the rear part of a rocket or missile
- ☆
- tailcoat
- full-dress attire for men
- Informal a person or vehicle that follows another, esp. in surveillance
- Slang the buttocks
- Slang, Vulgar
- sexual intercourse with a woman
- 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
Etymology: 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
tail Idioms
on someone's tail
☆ following or shadowing someone closely
turn tail
to run from danger, difficulty, hardship, etc.
with one's tail between one's legs
in defeat or in escape from expected defeat, esp. with fear or dejection
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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