bangtail

plural bangtails · alternative bang tail · alternative bang-tail

1. The tail of a horse or cow, allowed to grow out and then trimmed horizontally so as to form a tassel; a horse or cow having such a tail.

   1903, Tom Collins (Joseph Furphy), Such Is Life: Being Certain Extracts from the Diary of Tom Collins, 2004, page 68, "And did you see a dark chestnut horse; bang tail; star and snip; white hind feet; saddle and bridle on?" I asked.

   3 more examples

   1851, Turning Out a Bagman: A Legend of Brighton Downs, in Charles Dickens, William Harrison Ainsworth, Albert Smith Bentley's Miscellany, Volume XXIX, page 259, Two lean, ewe-necked, clipt chestnuts, tucked up in the ribs, with hard work and bad feeding, but with such flowing bang-tails as at once stamped them in the eyes of our friends as “ out-and-out ” thorough-breds—were led up and down by John. […] The bang-tails, no doubt, supposing themselves out for their usual “airing,” put themselves in the regular side-long position, and struck at once into a sort of hectic canter ; a particular movement, peculiar to Brighton bang-tails, and adapted to the most innocent equestrian.

   Lennan held the black horse — a bizarre little beast, all fire and whipcord, with a skin like satin, liquid eyes, very straight hocks, and a thin bangtail reaching down to them.

   1913, John Galsworthy, The Dark Flower, page 244

   Once we get the herd we can set up relays to keep the bangtails movin' as we go.

   2005, Cynthia Queen, The Major's Renegade, page 127

2. USA racehorse.

   Americans bet $5,000,000,000 a year on the galloping bangtails.

   1937, The American Magazine, volume 124, page 52

   3 more examples

   “Eddie!” whinnied Daley, the distraught worshipper of the bang-tails. “Eddie! Phar Lap is dead!”

   1934, Stanley Walker, City Editor, published 1999, page 99

   If you happen to be out on the far east side between April 23 and September 5, with $10 burning a hole in your pocket, hie yourself out to River Downs Race Track, 6301 Kellogg Avenue, and bet on the bangtails.

   1983 March, Cincinnati Magazine, page 43

   I was ridin' the horses then, you understand, and maybe known to take a flutter or two on the bangtails while I was about it.

   2018, Kasey Michaels, The Promise

3. slangA prostitute.
4. businessAn envelope with a perforated flap on which promotional material is printed; the flap on such an envelope.

present singular third person bangtails · participle present bangtailing · participle past bangtailed · past bangtailed · alternative bang tail · alternative bang-tail

1. To shear off the hair horizontally at the end of a cow or horse's tail.