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1. Dictionary

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

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

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   TAIL definition: 1. a part of an animal's body, sticking out from the base of the back, or something similar in…. Learn more.

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

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › tail

   • Cached

   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.

4. www.dictionary.com › browse › tailTAIL Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

   www.dictionary.com › browse › tail

   • Cached

   Tail definition: the hindmost part of an animal, especially that forming a distinct, flexible appendage to the back end of its body.. See examples of TAIL used in a sentence.

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

   dictionary.cambridge.org › us › dictionary

   • Cached

   TAIL meaning: 1. a part of an animal's body, sticking out from the base of the back, or something similar in…. Learn more.

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

   www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english

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   The tail of an animal, bird, or fish is the part extending beyond the end of its body. The cattle were swinging their tails to disperse the flies. ...a black dog with a long tail.

7. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › englishtail noun - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes...

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › english

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   tails. [plural] (informal) (also tailcoat [countable]) a long jacket divided at the back below the waist into two pieces that become narrower at the bottom, worn by men at very formal events.

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

   www.thefreedictionary.com › tail

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   Define tail. tail synonyms, tail pronunciation, tail translation, English dictionary definition of tail. the prolongation of an animal’s rear end: The dog wagged his tail.; the rear part of an aircraft; the side of a coin that does not bear a head or date;...

9. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-englishTAIL | meaning - Cambridge Learner's Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-english

   • Cached

   TAIL definition: 1. the long, narrow part that sticks out at the back of an animal's body: 2. the back part of…. Learn more.

10. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › american_englishtail noun - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes...

    www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › american_english

    • Cached

    tail. noun. /teɪl/ of bird/animal/fish. enlarge image. [countable] the part that sticks out and can be moved at the back of the body of a bird, an animal, or a fish The dog ran up, wagging its tail. The male has beautiful tail feathers. see ponytail. Want to learn more?

11. 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.