tail
TAYL
Tail (noun) means the flexible appendage extending from the rear of an animal's body. Example: “The dog wagged its tail excitedly when its owner came home.”
noun
1
The flexible appendage extending from the rear of an animal's body.
"The dog wagged its tail excitedly when its owner came home."
"A peacock's tail feathers fan out in a striking display."
"The cat curled its fluffy tail around its paws and fell asleep."
2
The rear or last part of something, such as an aircraft's tail section or the end of a line or sequence.
"The plane's tail was damaged by the storm."
"We caught the tail end of the meeting."
"The tail of the queue stretched all the way out of the building."
3
The side of a coin opposite the head, or (informally) someone secretly following another person.
"She called tails, and the coin landed showing the eagle."
"The detective put a tail on the suspect."
"Heads or tails? Pick one and I will flip the coin."
verb
1
To follow someone closely and secretly, typically to observe them.
"Police officers tailed the van for several blocks before making an arrest."
"The private investigator tailed the manager from the office to the station."
"A black car tailed us for miles, so we pulled into a busy car park."
How to use tail
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe part at the back end of an animal, object, or event — or, as a verb, to secretly follow someone.
Common mistake
As a verb meaning "follow secretly," tail is informal/journalistic — don't use it in formal writing where "follow" or "trail" fits better.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
wag its tail
tail of the plane
heads or tails
tail someone
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Word forms
- Plural
- tails
- Third person singular
- tails
- Past tense
- tailed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The dog wagged its _____ excitedly when its owner came home.
Etymology
From Old English tægl ("tail"), going back to a Proto-Germanic root meaning "hair" or "hair of the tail."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for tail
See all rhymes for tail →Frequently asked questions
What does “tail” mean?
The word “tail” means the flexible appendage extending from the rear of an animal's body. In plain terms, the part at the back end of an animal, object, or event — or, as a verb, to secretly follow someone.
How do you pronounce “tail”?
“Tail” is pronounced TAYL (/ˈteɪ̯l/ in IPA).
How do you use “tail” in a sentence?
Here is “tail” used in a sentence: “The dog wagged its tail excitedly when its owner came home.”
What part of speech is “tail”?
Depending on how it is used, “tail” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “tail” come from?
The word “tail” comes from Old English. From Old English tægl ("tail"), going back to a Proto-Germanic root meaning "hair" or "hair of the tail.".
Is “tail” a common word?
“Tail” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “tail” have?
“Tail” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the flexible appendage extending from the rear of an animal's body.
What is the difference between tail and tale?
Tail and tale sound the same but mean different things. A tail is the appendage at the rear of an animal or the rear part of something, while a tale is a story.
What are some common uses of tail beyond animals?
Besides an animal's rear appendage, tail names the rear section of many things, such as an aircraft's tail, the tail of a comet, or the end of a line or queue. It generally refers to the hindmost part.
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