nail

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English [edit]

Pronunciation [edit]

Etymology 1 [edit]

From Old English næġel, from Proto-Germanic *naglaz (compare Dutch/German/Swedish nagel), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃nogʰ- (“nail”) (compare Irish ionga, Latin unguis, Albanian nyell (“ankle, hard part of a limb”), Lithuanian nagas, Russian nogá (“foot, leg”), ноготь (nogoti, “nail”), Ancient Greek ὄνυξ (ónyx), Sanskrit nakhá).

Noun [edit]

A metal nail (fastener).

nail (plural nails)

  1. The thin, horny plate at the ends of fingers and toes on humans and some other animals.
    When I'm nervous I bite my nails.
  2. A spike-shaped metal fastener used for joining wood or similar materials. The nail is generally driven through two or more layers of material by means of impacts from a hammer or other device. It is then held in place by friction.
  3. One of the four round pedestals (the nails) in Bristol, on which merchants once carried out their business.
  4. An archaic English unit of length equivalent to 1/20th of an ell or 1/16th of a yard (2.25 inches or 5,715 cm).
Derived terms [edit]
Terms derived from nail (noun)
Translations [edit]
on fingers and toes
spike-shaped metal fastener used for joining wood or similar materials
one of the four round pedestals (the nails) in Bristol
archaic English unit of length

See also [edit]

Etymology 2 [edit]

From Old English næġlan

Verb [edit]

nail (third-person singular simple present nails, present participle nailing, simple past and past participle nailed)

  1. (transitive) To fix (an object) to another object using a nail.
    He nailed the placard to the post.
  2. (intransitive) To drive a nail.
    He used the ax head for nailing.
  3. (slang) To catch.
    • 2005, Plato, Sophist. Translation by Lesley Brown. 261a.
      we'll nail the sophist to it, if we can get him on that charge;
  4. (transitive, slang) To expose as a sham.
  5. (transitive, slang) To accomplish (a task) completely and successfully.
    I really nailed that test.
  6. (transitive, slang) To hit (a target) effectively with some weapon.
    • 2011 October 1, Tom Fordyce, “Rugby World Cup 2011: England 16-12 Scotland”, BBC Sport:
      Fly-half Ruaridh Jackson departed early with injury but Chris Paterson nailed a penalty from wide out left to give Scotland an early lead, and Jackson's replacement Dan Parks added three more points with a penalty which skimmed over the crossbar.
  7. (transitive, slang) Of a male, to engage in sexual intercourse with.
    There’s a benefit gala at the Boston Pops tonight, and... well, I’m trying to nail the flautist. - Brian Griffin in the TV series Family Guy
Synonyms [edit]
Translations [edit]
employ a nail as a fastener
catch
expose as a sham
accomplish something completely and successfully
hit a target effectively with some weapon
engage in sexual intercourse

See also [edit]

Anagrams [edit]

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