brad

The word “brad” means a small, slender nail with a barely-there head, used in fine woodworking so the nail can be sunk flush and hidden. In plain terms, a brad is either a slim, nearly headless nail used in carpentry, or a small paper fastener with splitting prongs.

“Brad” is pronounced brad (/bɹæd/ in IPA).

Here is “brad” used in a sentence: “He used brads to attach the thin trim without splitting the wood.”

“Brad” is a noun.

The word “brad” comes from Middle English. From late Middle English brad, related to Old Norse broddr ("spike, shaft").

“Brad” is a fairly common word in modern English.

“Brad” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a small, slender nail with a barely-there head, used in fine woodworking so the nail can be sunk flush and hidden.

A brad is a small, slender nail with a barely-there head, made so it can be sunk flush and hidden in fine woodwork. A standard nail is usually thicker with a larger head meant to grip and stay visible. Brads are chosen when you want the fastening to disappear.

The word "brad" has two meanings: a tiny finishing nail for woodwork, and a small metal fastener with a round head and two flat prongs that splay apart to hold sheets of paper together. Context tells you which is meant — a workshop brad is a nail, while a stationery brad binds paper.

Both are small, thin nails used where you want a discreet fixing, and the terms overlap; "brad" is more common in American English and "panel pin" in British English. Each has a very small head so it can be driven below the surface and concealed.

A brad is a slender nail with a tiny head designed to sink flush and stay hidden, while a tack is short with a broad, flat head meant to stay visible and hold things like fabric or carpet in place. Brads conceal; tacks grip at the surface.