tail


Definition: Meaning of, tail in English to English dictionary.

Pronunciation: / teɪl /

  • noun
  • synonym
  • antonym
Word Forms:
Singular Plural
tail tails
[countable]
  1. animal the part that sticks out at the back of an animal's body, and that it can move
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  2. aircraft the back part of an aircraft
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  3. shirt the bottom part of your shirt at the back, that you put inside your trousers
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  4. back part [usually singular] the back or last part of something, especially something that is moving away from you
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  5. tails [plural] a man's jacket which is short at the front and divides into two long pieces at the back, worn to very formal events [=  tailcoat]
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  6. tails [uncountable] spoken said when you are TOSS ing a coin (= throwing it up in the air to decide which of two things you will do or choose)
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  7. the tail end of something the last part of an event, situation, or period of time
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  8. be on somebody's tail informal to be following someone closely
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  9. follow informal someone who is employed to watch and follow someone, especially a criminal
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  10. turn tail informal to run away because you are too frightened to fight or attack
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  11. with your tail between your legs embarrassed or unhappy because you have failed or been defeated
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  12. it's (a case of) the tail wagging the dog informal used to say that an unimportant thing is wrongly controlling a situation
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  13. chase tail American English informal to try to get a woman to have sex with you
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synonym
antonym
  • verb
  • synonym
  • antonym
Word Forms:
Prsesent Past Past Participle
tail tailed tailed
Present Participle Third Person Singular
tailing tails
[transitive]
  1. informal to follow someone and watch what they do, where they go etc
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tail used in phrases

  • band-tail pigeon (noun)
    1. wild pigeon of western North America; often mistaken for the now extinct passenger pigeon
  • brown-tail moth (noun)
    1. small brown and white European moth introduced into eastern United States; pest of various shade and fruit trees
  • brush-tail porcupine (noun)
    1. porcupine with a tuft of large beaded bristles on the tail
  • cat's-tail (noun)
    1. tall marsh plant with cylindrical seed heads that explode when mature shedding large quantities of down; its long flat leaves are used for making mats and chair seats; of North America, Europe, Asia and North Africa
  • fee tail (noun)
    1. a fee limited to a particular line of heirs; they are not free to sell it or give it away
  • fee-tail (verb)
    1. limit the inheritance of property to a specific class of heirs
  • gold-tail moth (noun)
    1. white furry-bodied European moth with a yellow tail tuft
  • high-tail (verb)
    1. retreat at full speed
  • horizontal tail (noun)
    1. the horizontal stabilizer and elevator in the tail assembly of an aircraft
  • kite tail (noun)
    1. a bob on a kite to provide balance
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tail used in phrasal verbs

  • tail away (phrasal verb)
  • tail back (phrasal verb)
    1. to form a long line of traffic that is not moving
  • tail off (phrasal verb)
    1. tail off or tail away to become quieter, weaker, or smaller
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