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   Nail

   /nāl/

   

   noun

   • 1. a small metal spike with a broadened flat head, driven typically into wood with a hammer to join things together or to serve as a peg or 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 measure of length for cloth, equal to 21/4 inches.
   • 4. a measure of wool, beef, or other commodity, roughly equal to 7 or 8 pounds.

   verb

   • 1. fasten to a surface or to something else with a nail or nails: "nail the edge framing to the wall" Similar fastenattachfixaffixsecuretackhammerpinpost
   • 2. expose (someone) as deceitful or criminal; catch or arrest: informal "have you nailed the killer?" Similar catchcaptureapprehendarresttake into custodyseizetake inbring ininformal:collarnabcoprun inpull inpick upbustpinchnicknobble
   • ▪ expose (a lie or other instance of deception). Similar exposerevealuncoverunmaskbring to lightlay baresmoke something outunearthdetectidentifyarchaic:discover
   • 3. tackle (the quarterback or ballcarrier), especially at or behind the line of scrimmage. informal
   • ▪ (of a fielder) put (a runner) out by throwing to a base: "he dropped 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: "there's no doubt I had chances to nail it in the last set"
   • 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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