nail

plural nails

1. The horny plate or appendage at the ends of the digits of various animals, including most reptiles, birds, and mammals (both nonhuman and human).

   Synonyms: onychium, unguis

   1. oftenspecificallyThe thin, flat type of such a plate on the fingers and toes of humans, chimpanzees and some other primates.

      When I'm nervous I bite my nails.

      Synonyms: onychium, unguis

2. The basal thickened portion of the anterior wings of certain hemiptera.
3. The terminal horny plate on the beak of ducks and other allied birds.
4. 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.

   Yesterday my shirt got torn after I caught it on a nail.

   1 more example

   Orion hit a rabbit once; but though sore wounded it got to the bury, and, struggling in, the arrow caught the side of the hole and was drawn out. Indeed, a nail filed sharp is not of much avail as an arrowhead; you must have it barbed, and that was a little beyond our skill.

   1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter II, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC

5. A round pedestal on which merchants once carried out their business, such as the four nails outside The Exchange, Bristol.
6. An archaic English unit of length equivalent to ¹⁄₂₀ of an ell or ¹⁄₁₆ of a yard (2+¹⁄₄ inches or 5.715 cm).

present singular third person nails · participle present nailing · participle past nailed · past nailed

1. transitiveTo fix (an object) to another object using a nail.

   He nailed the placard to the post.

2. intransitiveTo drive a nail.

   He used the ax head for nailing.

   Synonyms: hammer

3. transitiveTo stud or boss with nails, or as if with nails.

   The rivets of their arms were nail'd with gold.

   1700, [John] Dryden, “The Flower and the Leaf: Or, The Lady in the Arbour. A Vision.”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC

4. slangTo catch.

   we'll nail the sophist to it, if we can get him on that charge;

   2005, Lesley, transl. Brown, Sophist, 261a, translation of original by Plato

   3 more examples

   I pray you now send me some dub, / A bottle or two to the needy. / I beg you won't bring it yourself, / The harman is at the Old-Bailey; / I'd rather you'd send it behalf, / For, if they twig you they'll nail you.

   1765, “A Song in High Life”, in The Merry Medley, volume 1, London: W. Hoggard, page 35

   Military Intelligence seems to be on the spot in a quiet sort of way. I just met a G-2 slue-foot and he was a most efficient guy! They're keeping low, I think, until they nail their man.

   1943 October 9, The Australian Women's Weekly, page 3, column 4

   Dammit, John, I'm tired of this 'Demolition Man' stuff! […] Now, I know you've been trying to nail this psycho for two years, but try remembering a little thing called official police procedure.

   1993, Peter M. Lenkov, Robert Reneau, Daniel Waters, Demolition Man, spoken by Captain Healy (Steve Kahan)

   Synonyms: arrest, collar, nick, apprehend, begripe, capture, fang, grasp

5. slangtransitiveTo expose as a sham.
6. slangtransitiveTo accomplish (a task) completely and successfully.

   I really nailed that test.

   1 more example

   The chief executive and founder of Meta used his new Threads account to say Twitter had not “nailed” its opportunity to become a mega app and that his copycat version would be “focusing on kindness”.

   2023 July 6, Dan Milmo, quoting Mark Zuckerberg, “Zuckerberg uses Threads to say Twitter has missed its chance”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

   Synonyms: ace, fullbring, fulfill · Antonyms: screw

7. slangtransitiveTo hit (a target) effectively with some weapon.

   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.

   2011 October 1, Tom Fordyce, “Rugby World Cup 2011: England 16-12 Scotland”, in BBC Sport

8. slangtransitivevulgarOf 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.

   1999, Neil Goldman, Garrett Donovan, “Da Boom”, in Family Guy, season 2, episode 3, spoken by Brian Griffin (Seth MacFarlane)

   1 more example

   Allison Reynolds: I'm a nymphomaniac. […] The only person I told was my shrink. / Andrew Clark: And what did he do when you told him? / Allison Reynolds: He nailed me.

   1985, John Hughes, The Breakfast Club (motion picture)

   Synonyms: dick, pound, rail, screw, Formal terms, bed, coit, coitize

9. governmentTo spike, as a cannon.

   That the Ordinance be not nayled, nor the munition fiered.

   1598, Robert Barret, he Theorike and Practike of Modern Warres

10. transitiveTo nail down: to make certain, or confirm.

    Synonyms: clinch, fix, lock down, pin down

11. obsoleteslangtransitiveTo steal.

    Loud was the laughter at this and other remarks about nailing "stooks" (silk pocket handkerchiefs), "clouts" (cotton ditto), german sausages, &c.

    1866, Temple Bar, volume 16, page 507

plural Nails · alternative Naill

1. A surname transferred from the nickname.