noun B1 Intermediate Common

nail

nayl

Nail (noun) means the hard, flat plate at the tip of a finger or toe. Example: “She painted her nails a bright shade of red.”

noun

The hard, flat plate at the tip of a finger or toe.

"She painted her nails a bright shade of red."

"He bit his nails down to the quick before the interview."

A thin, pointed piece of metal hammered into wood or another material to join two things together.

"He used a nail and hammer to fix the loose fence board."

"The old floorboards were held down with rusty nails."

verb

To fasten something with a nail, or as if with a nail.

"They nailed the sign to the front of the shop."

To do something perfectly or catch someone in the act (informal).

"She absolutely nailed her presentation this morning."

"The detective finally nailed the suspect with hard evidence."

How to use nail

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither the hard covering on your fingers and toes, the metal fastener used in building, or — informally — to do something perfectly or catch someone.

Common mistake

"Nail it" (do something perfectly) is informal — avoid it in formal writing; use "succeed at" or "execute perfectly" instead.

Common pairings

hit the nail on the head nail it nail down bite your nails

Word forms

nailed past tense, nails plural, Nails plural, nails singular

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She painted her _____ a bright shade of red.

Etymology

From Old English næġl, tracing back to a very old Proto-Indo-European root for "nail" shared across many European and Indo-Iranian languages.

Origin: Old English

Synonyms

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spike pin tack brad fastener

Related words

point fall add button sheet hook screw pin

Rhymes for nail

rail tail pail mail sail fail hail jail vail bail wail quail

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Frequently asked questions

What does “nail” mean?

The word “nail” means the hard, flat plate at the tip of a finger or toe. In plain terms, either the hard covering on your fingers and toes, the metal fastener used in building, or — informally — to do something perfectly or catch someone.

How do you pronounce “nail”?

“Nail” is pronounced nayl (/neɪl/ in IPA).

How do you use “nail” in a sentence?

Here is “nail” used in a sentence: “She painted her nails a bright shade of red.”

What part of speech is “nail”?

Depending on how it is used, “nail” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “nail” come from?

The word “nail” comes from Old English. From Old English næġl, tracing back to a very old Proto-Indo-European root for "nail" shared across many European and Indo-Iranian languages.

Is “nail” a common word?

“Nail” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

How many meanings does “nail” have?

“Nail” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the hard, flat plate at the tip of a finger or toe.

What is the difference between a nail and a screw?

A nail is a thin, pointed piece of metal driven straight into wood or another material with a hammer. A screw has a spiral thread and is turned into place, which grips the material more tightly and can usually be removed more easily.

What is the difference between a nail and a tack?

A tack is a short nail with a broad, flat head, used for light jobs such as pinning fabric or paper. A nail is generally longer and thinner, and is used for heavier joining of materials like wood.

What words commonly go with 'nail'?

For the metal fastener, common phrases include 'hammer a nail,' 'bang in a nail,' and 'rusty nail.' For the body part, common combinations are 'fingernail,' 'toenail,' 'nail file,' and 'nail polish.'

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Vocabulary lists that include nail:

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