NAIL Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

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nail

[ neyl ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a slender, typically rod-shaped rigid piece of metal, usually in any of numerous standard lengths from a fraction of an inch to several inches and having one end pointed and the other enlarged and flattened, for hammering into or through wood, other building materials, etc., as used in building, in fastening, or in holding separate pieces together.
a thin, horny plate, consisting of modified epidermis, growing on the upper side of the end of a finger or toe.
a former measure of length for cloth, equal to 2.25 inches (5.7 centimeters).

verb (used with object)

to fasten with a nail or nails:
to nail the cover on a box.
to enclose or confine (something) by nailing (often followed by up ):
to nail up oranges in a crate.
Synonyms: , , ,
to make fast or keep firmly in one place or position:
Surprise nailed him to the spot.
to accomplish perfectly:
the only gymnast to nail the dismount.
Informal.
1. to secure by prompt action; catch or seize:
  The police nailed him with the goods.
2. to catch (a person) in some difficulty, lie, etc.
3. to detect and expose (a lie, scandal, etc.).
Slang. to hit (a person):
He nailed him on the chin with an uppercut in the first round.
to focus intently on an object or subject:
She kept her eyes nailed on the suspicious customer.
Obsolete. to stud with or as if with nails.

verb phrase

to make final; settle once and for all:
Signing the contract will nail down our agreement.

nail

/ �Ա�ɪ�� /

noun

a fastening device usually made from round or oval wire, having a point at one end and a head at the other
anything resembling such a fastening device, esp in function or shape
the horny plate covering part of the dorsal surface of the fingers or toes See fingernail toenail ungualungular
the claw of a mammal, bird, or reptile
slang.
a hypodermic needle, used for injecting drugs
a unit of length, formerly used for measuring cloth, equal to two and a quarter inches
a nail in one's coffin
an experience or event that tends to shorten life or hasten the end of something
bite one's nails
1. to chew off the ends of one's fingernails
2. to be worried or apprehensive
hard as nails
1. in tough physical condition
2. without sentiment or feelings
hit the nail on the head
to do or say something correct or telling
on the nail
(of payments) at once (esp in the phrase pay on the nail )

verb

to attach with or as if with nails
informal.
to arrest or seize
informal.
to hit or bring down, as with a shot
I nailed the sniper
informal.
to expose or detect (a lie or liar)
to fix or focus (one's eyes, attention, etc) on an object
to stud with nails

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Derived Forms

ˈ�Բ��-��, adjective
ˈ�Բ��, noun

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Other �y��vlogs From

�Բ��l�� adjective
�Բ��l�� adjective
��·�Բ�� verb (used with object)

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of nail¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English (noun) nail, nayl, Old English ��æ��, cognate with Old Frisian neil, Old Saxon, Old High German nagal, Dutch nagel, German Nagel, Old Norse nagl “fingernail,” all from unattested Germanic naglaz; akin as derivative to Lithuanian nãgas, nagà “h�ǴǴ�,” Old Prussian nage “f�Ǵǳ�,” Old Church Slavonic noga “leg, foot” ( Serbo-Croatian ��ò��, Czech noha, Polish noga, Russian �Դǲ�á; probably originally a jocular reference to the foot as a hoof), Old Church Slavonic �Դǲ�ŭ��ĭ, Tocharian A maku, Tocharian B mekwa “fingernail, claw,” all from unattested North European Indo-European ə�Դǲ��ɳ�-; further akin to Old Irish ingen, Welsh ewin, Breton ivin, from unattested Celtic ṇg�ɳ�ī��, Latin unguis, from unattested Italo-Celtic ə�Բ��ɳ�-; Greek ó�Բ��, stem onych-, Sanskrit áṅg��- “foot” from unattested áṅg��-; Armenian ��ł�ܲԲ��, from unattested onogwh-; Middle English (verb) nail(e), nayle, Old English ��æ��, cognate with Old Saxon neglian, Old High German negilen, Old Norse negla, from unattested Germanic nagl-janan; compare Gothic ganagljan

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of nail¹

Old English ��ǣ��; related to Old High German nagal nail, Latin unguis fingernail, claw, Greek onux

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Idioms and Phrases

hit the nail on the head, to say or do exactly the right thing; be accurate or correct:
Your analysis really hit the nail on the head.
nail in someone's / something's coffin, something that hastens the demise or failure of a person or thing:
Every moment's delay is another nail in his coffin.
on the nail, Informal.
1. of present interest; under discussion.
2. without delay; on the spot; at once:
  He was offered a job on the nail.

More idioms and phrases containing nail

bite one's nails
fight tooth and nail
hard as nails
hit the bull's-eye (nail on the head)
on the nail

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Example Sentences

Littler failed to land a 102 checkout to give White a chance and he nailed 46, finishing with double top, to progress at the expense of his fellow Englishman.

From

But, as Bobo admits, “they really nailed it… we were blown away from the first cut.”

From

“She’s finally here!! our little celestial seed,” he wrote, posting black-and-white video of the child’s tiny hands grasping at his fingers, painted nails and all.

From

"This has to be the final nail in the coffin for Ofwat, a regulator that has time and again proven it is completely inadequate to protect customers and our beautiful environment," he said.

From

The stadium, on the other hand, nailed its most important dress rehearsal, rolling out a hybrid grass carpet that weathered the strain of four games in as many days.

From

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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