nail
nayl
Nail (noun) means the hard, flat plate at the tip of a finger or toe. Example: “She cracked a nail while opening the heavy tin.”
noun
1
The hard, flat plate at the tip of a finger or toe.
"She cracked a nail while opening the heavy tin."
"She painted her nails a bright shade of red."
"He bit his nails down to the quick before the interview."
2
A thin, pointed piece of metal hammered into wood or another material to join two things together.
"Hang the picture on a single nail in the wall."
"He used a nail and hammer to fix the loose fence board."
"The old floorboards were held down with rusty nails."
verb
1
To fasten something with a nail, or as if with a nail.
"He nailed the loose plank back onto the shed roof."
"Dad nailed boards across the broken window to keep the rain out."
"They nailed the sign to the front of the shop."
2
To do something perfectly or catch someone in the act (informal).
"He nailed the high note in the final song."
"She absolutely nailed her presentation this morning."
"The detective finally nailed the suspect with hard evidence."
How to use nail
Learner’s notesIn 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
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Word forms
- Plural
- nails
- Third person singular
- nails
- Past tense
- nailed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She cracked a _____ while opening the heavy tin.
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.
Related words
Rhymes for nail
See all rhymes for nail →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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