Zoologythe hindmost part of an animal, esp. the part that forms a distinct, flexible growth on the trunk:The dog wagged its tail.
something suggesting this:the tail of a comet.
Also, tails.[plural]the side of a coin that does not have a face of a person on it (opposed to head ).
Aeronauticsthe rear portion of an airplane or the like.
Clothingtails, [plural]
Clothingthe skirts at the back of a coat.
Clothingmen's formal clothing.
Slang Termsthe buttocks or rump.
Informal Termsone who trails another, as a detective or spy.
a final or concluding part; end.
adj.[before a noun]
coming from behind:a tail breeze.
being in the back or rear:a tail gun on a B–17.
v.[~ + object]
Informal Termsto follow in order to prevent escape or in order to observe:The FBI tailed the suspect to his home.
Idioms
Idiomsturn tail, to run away from difficulty, etc.; flee:The soldiers turned tail.
Idiomswith one's tail between one's legs, completely defeated or humiliated.
tail•less, adj.
-tail-,root.
-tail- comes from French and ultimately from Latin, where it has the meaning "cut.'' This meaning is found in such words as: curtail, detail, entail, retail, tailor.
Zoologythe hindmost part of an animal, esp. that forming a distinct, flexible appendage to the trunk.
something resembling or suggesting this in shape or position:the tail of a kite.
Astronomythe luminous stream extending from the head of a comet.
the reverse of a coin (opposed to head).
Aeronauticsthe after portion of an airplane or the like.
Clothingtails:
ClothingSee tail coat.
Clothingthe tapering skirts or ends at the back of a coat, esp. a tail coat.
Clothingmen's full-dress attire.
Wine[Distilling.]alcohol obtained in the final distillation. Cf. head (def. 22).
Slang Termsthe buttocks or rump.
Informal Termsa person who trails or keeps a close surveillance of another, as a detective or spy:The police decided to put a tail on the suspect.
Informal Termsthe trail of a fleeing person or animal:They put a detective on his tail.
Slang Terms(vulgar).
coitus.
a woman considered as a sexual object.
the hinder, bottom, or end part of anything; the rear.
a final or concluding part of a sentence, conversation, social gathering, etc.; conclusion; end:The tail of the speech was boring. Toward the tail of the concert I'd begun to get tired.
the inferior or unwanted part of anything.
a long braid or tress of hair.
an arrangement of objects or persons extending as or as if a tail.
a line of persons awaiting their turns at something; queue.
a retinue; train.
the lower part of a pool or stream.
Buildingthe exposed portion of a piece of roofing, as a slate.
Printingthe bottom of a page or book.
Printingthe lower portion of a type, as of g, y, or Q.
turn tail:
to turn one's back on, as in aversion or fright.
to run away from difficulty, opposition, etc.; flee:The sight of superior forces made the attackers turn tail.
with one's tail between one's legs, utterly humiliated; defeated; cowed:They were forced to retreat with their tails between their legs.
adj.
coming from behind:a tail breeze.
being in the back or rear:the tail section of a plane.
v.t.
Informal Termsto follow in order to hinder escape of or to observe:to tail a suspect.
to form or furnish with a tail.
to form or constitute the tail or end of (a procession, retinue, etc.).
to terminate; come after or behind; follow like a tail.
to join or attach (one thing) at the tail or end of another.
Buildingto fasten (a beam, stone, etc.) by one end (usually fol. by in or into).
Veterinary Diseasesto dock the tail of (a horse, dog, etc.).
v.i.
to follow close behind:She always tails after her sister.
to disappear gradually or merge into:The path tails off into the woods.
to form, or move or pass in, a line or column suggestive of a tail:The hikers tailed up the narrow path.
Nautical, Naval Terms(of a boat) to have or take a position with the stern in a particular direction.
Building(of a beam, stone, etc.) to be fastened by one end (usually fol. by in or into).
bef. 900; Middle English; Old English tægl; cognate with Old Norse tagl horse's tail, Gothic tagl hair, Middle High German zagel tail, Middle Low German tagel rope-end
tail′er, n. tail′less, adj. tail′less•ly, adv. tail′less•ness, n. tail′like′, adj.
tail2(tāl),USA pronunciation[Law.] n.
Lawthe limitation of an estate to a person and the heirs of his or her body, or some particular class of such heirs.
adj.
Lawlimited to a specified line of heirs; being in tail.
Anglo-French tailé cut, shaped, limited, past participle of tailler
Late Latin tāliāre (see tailor1); (adjective, adjectival) late Middle English taille
the region of the vertebrate body that is posterior to or above the anus and contains an elongation of the vertebral column, esp forming a flexible movable appendage
anything resembling such an appendage in form or position; the bottom, lowest, or rear part
the last part or parts: the tail of the storm
the rear part of an aircraft including the fin, tailplane, and control surfaces; empennage
the luminous stream of gas and dust particles, up to 200 million km long, driven from the head of a comet, when close to the sun, under the effect of the solar wind and light pressure
the rear portion of a bomb, rocket, missile, etc, usually fitted with guiding or stabilizing vanes
a line of people or things
a long braid or tress of hair: a ponytail, a pigtail
Also called:tailflythe lowest fly on a wet-fly cast
a final short line in a stanza
a person employed to follow and spy upon another or others