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   tail

   /teɪl/

   noun

   • 1. the hindmost part of an animal, especially when prolonged beyond the rest of the body, such as the flexible extension of the backbone in a vertebrate, the feathers at the hind end of a bird, or a terminal appendage in an insect: "the dog's tail began to wag frantically" Similar hindmost partback endappendagebrushscutdocktailpiecetail feathershind parthindquarterstechnical:caudauropygiumOpposite fronthead
   • ▪ a slender backward prolongation of each hindwing in some butterflies.
   • 2. a thing resembling an animal's tail in its shape or position, typically extending downwards or outwards at the end of something: "the tail of a capital"
   • ▪ the rear part of an aeroplane, with the tailplane and rudder: "the fuselage tapers sharply towards the tail"
   • ▪ the lower or hanging part of a garment, especially the back of a shirt or coat: "he wiped his hands on the tail of his grubby vest"
   • ▪ a tailcoat, or a man's formal evening suit with a tailcoat: informal "the men looked debonair in white tie and tails"
   • ▪ the luminous trail of particles following a comet.
   • ▪ the lower end of a pool or stream: "shallow riffles and the tails of pools are prime feeding areas"
   • ▪ the exposed end of a slate or tile in a roof: "the slates are dressed with the bevelled tail and edge characteristic of thick, square stone roofing"
   • ▪ an extremity of a curve approaching the horizontal axis of a graph, especially that of a frequency distribution.
   • 3. the end of a long train or line of people or vehicles: "a catering truck at the tail of the convoy"
   • ▪ the final, more distant, or weaker part of something: "the tail of a hurricane" Similar rearendbackextremityconclusionbottomlowest partinformal:fag endcloseendconclusionterminationtail endOpposite headfrontbeginningstart
   • ▪ the end of the batting order, with the weakest batters: "McDermott worked his way through the tail, finishing with ten wickets"
   • 4. a person secretly following another to observe their movements: informal "I can't put a tail on him, I don't know where he's gone" Similar detectiveinvestigatorprivate investigatorshadowinformal:sleuthprivate eyetecgumshoebogeydickprivate dickshamus
   • 5. a person's buttocks: informal North American "the coach kicked Ryan in his tail" Similar buttocksbacksidebehindbottomseatrumprearrear endcheekshindquartershaunchesderrièreSitzfleischtechnical:natesinformal:sit-uponsternBTMtochusrusty dustybumbottypratjacksiebahookiebuttfannytushtushieduffbunsbootycabooseheiniepatootiekeistertuchisbazoobippybattyrasshumorous:fundamentposteriorvulgar slang:arseclungeassarchaic:breech
   • ▪ a woman's genitals. vulgar slang
   • ▪ women collectively regarded in sexual terms: informal "I was getting worried that both of us would be chasing tail and getting into trouble for the rest of our lives"
   • 6. the side of a coin without the image of a head on it (used when tossing a coin to determine a winner): "the chances of heads and tails in the long run are equal"

   verb

   • 1. follow and observe (someone) closely, especially in secret: "a flock of paparazzi had tailed them all over London"
   • ▪ follow: "they went to their favourite cafe—Owen and Sally tailed along"
   • 2. provide with a tail: "her calligraphy was topped by banners of black ink and tailed like the haunches of fabulous beasts"
   • 3. (of an object in flight) drift or curve in a particular direction: North American "the next pitch tailed in on me at the last second"
   • 4. remove the stalks or ends of (fruit or vegetables) in preparation for cooking.
   • 5. pull on the end of (a rope) after it has been wrapped round the drum of a winch a few times, in order to prevent slipping when the winch rotates.
   • 6. join (one thing) to another. archaic

   Word Origin Old Englishtæg(e)l, from a Germanic base meaning ‘hair, hairy tail’; related to Middle Low German tagel ‘twisted whip, rope's end’. The early sense of the verb (early 16th century) was ‘fasten to the back of something’.

   Derivatives

   • 1. tailless adjective
   • 2. taillessness noun

   Scrabble Points: 4

   • T

     1

   • A

     1

   • I

     1

   • L

     1

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2. People also ask

   What does tail mean?

   • Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free! The meaning of TAIL is the rear end or a process or prolongation of the rear end of the body of an animal. How to use tail in a sentence.

   Tail Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

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   What is a tail used for?

   • The rear, elongated part of many animals, extending beyond the trunk or main part of the body. Tails are used variously for balance, combat, communication, mating displays, fat storage, propulsion and course correction in water, and course correction in air.

   TAIL Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

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   What does a tail mean in a sentence?

   • A tailcoat. 6. often tails(used with a sing. verb) The side of a coin not having the principal design. 7. The trail of a person or animal in flight: The police were on the bank robber's tail. 8. 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.

   Tail - definition of tail by The Free Dictionary

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   Why do animals have tails?

   • In mammals, tails are actually an extension of the spinal column. Tails serve various purposes in different animals. A fish's tail helps it move through the water, a cow's tail is a built-in fly swatter, and a scorpion uses its tail for self-defense. This noun also means simply "back end," like the tail of an airplane or the tail of a suit jacket.

   Tail - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms - Vocabulary.com

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3. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishTAIL | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

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   Learn the meaning of tail as a noun and a verb in English, with synonyms, idioms, and grammar usage. See how tail can refer to an animal's body part, a person who follows, a coin side, a jacket, a cricket term, and more.

   • Tail: Arabic Translation

     TAIL translate: ذَيْل / ذَنَب. Learn more in the Cambridge...

   • Tail Spanish Translation

     TAIL translate: cola, trasero, cola [feminine, singular],...

   • The Tail Wagging The Dog

     THE TAIL WAGGING THE DOG definition: 1. a situation in which...

   • Znaczenie Tail, Definicja W Cambridge English Dictionary

     TAIL definicja: 1. a part of an animal's body, sticking out...

   • English (US)

     a part of an animal's body, sticking out from the base of...

   • Simplified

     TAIL translate: 动物, 尾巴；尾状物, 跟随着的人, 盯梢人, 硬币面, 夹克衫, 屁股，臀部,...

4. www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › tailTail Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › tail

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   Learn the various meanings and uses of the word tail as a noun, verb, and adjective. Find synonyms, examples, etymology, and related phrases of tail.

5. www.dictionary.com › browse › tailTAIL Definition & Meaning - Dictionary.com

   www.dictionary.com › browse › tail

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   Learn the various meanings and uses of the word tail, from the hindmost part of an animal to a line of people or things. Find out the synonyms, antonyms, and related terms for tail.

6. www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › englishTAIL definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english

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   Learn the various meanings and uses of the word tail in English, from animal appendage to coin side to verb. Find synonyms, pronunciation, examples, and related terms for tail.

7. dictionary.cambridge.org › us › dictionaryTAIL | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary

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   a part of an animal's body, sticking out from the base of the back, or something similar in shape or position: wag itstail The dog wagged its tail excitedly. Eastimages/Moment/GettyImages. Fewer examples. With a flick of its tail, the cat was gone. With a powerful lash of its tail, the fish jumped out of the net and back into the river.

8. www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › tailTail - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms - Vocabulary.com

   www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › tail

   The part of a dog's body that wags enthusiastically when the dog is happy is the tail. In mammals, tails are actually an extension of the spinal column. Tails serve various purposes in different animals. A fish's tail helps it move through the water, a cow's tail is a built-in fly swatter, and a scorpion uses its tail for self-defense.

9. www.thefreedictionary.com › tailTail - definition of tail by The Free Dictionary

   www.thefreedictionary.com › tail

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   Learn the meaning and usage of the word tail in different contexts, such as zoology, anatomy, law, and slang. Find synonyms, related words, and idioms for tail.