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   nail

   /neɪl/

   noun

   • 1. a small metal spike with a broadened flat head, driven into wood to join things together or to serve as a hook: "don't try and hammer nails into the ceiling joists" Similar pinspiketackrivethobnailpanel pintin tacktechnical:bradsprigclout nailsparable
   • 2. a horny covering on the upper surface of the tip of the finger and toe in humans and other primates: "she began to bite her nails" Similar fingernailthumbnailtoenailclawtalonnipperpincertechnical:unguischela
   • ▪ an animal's claw: "the clicking of a dog's nails on a wooden floor"
   • ▪ a hard growth on the upper mandible of some soft-billed birds.
   • 3. a medieval measure of length for cloth, equal to 21/4 inches.
   • 4. a medieval measure of wool, beef, or other commodity, roughly equal to 7 or 8 pounds.

   verb

   • 1. fasten with a nail or nails: "the strips are simply nailed to the roof" Similar fastenattachfixaffixsecuretackhammerpinpost
   • 2. detect or catch (someone, especially a suspected criminal): informal "have you nailed the killer?" Similar catchcaptureapprehendarresttake into custodyseizetake inbring ininformal:collarnabcoprun inpull inpick upbustpinchnicknobble
   • ▪ expose (a lie or other deception): "he spoke out to nail the lie that he'd had a row with his manager" Similar exposerevealuncoverunmaskbring to lightlay baresmoke something outunearthdetectidentifyarchaic:discover
   • 3. (of a player) strike (a ball) forcefully and successfully: informal "she was stretched to the limit and failed to nail the smash"
   • ▪ (of a fielder) put (a runner) out by throwing to a base: "he muffed a perfect throw home that should have nailed Joe by yards"
   • ▪ (of a player) defeat or outwit (an opponent): North American "Navratilova tried to nail her on the backhand side"
   • ▪ (of a player) secure (a victory) conclusively: "I fancy the Scots to nail a win"
   • 4. perform (an action or task) perfectly: informal "she absolutely nailed the high notes"
   • 5. (of a man) have sex with (someone). vulgar slang US

   Word Origin Old Englishnægel (noun), næglan (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch nagel and German Nagel, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin unguis and Greek onux.

   Derivatives

   • 1. nailless adjective

   Scrabble Points: 4

   • N

     1

   • A

     1

   • I

     1

   • L

     1

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