| 单词 | tail |
| 释义 | tail (teɪl ) Word forms: tails , tailing , tailed 1. countable noun B2 The tail of an animal, bird, or fish is the part extending beyond the end of its body. The cattle were swinging their tails to disperse the flies. ...a black dog with a long tail. Synonyms: extremity, appendage, brush, rear end -tailed combining form B2 ...white-tailed deer. 2. countable noun B2 You can use tail to refer to the end or back of something, especially something long and thin. ...the horizontal stabilizer bar on the plane's tail. Elsie tugged her father's coat tail. ...a comet tail. Synonyms: train, end, trail, tailpiece 3. plural noun If someone is wearing tails, they are wearing a formal jacket which has two long pieces hanging down at the back. 4. verb To tail someone means to follow close behind them and watch where they go and what they do. [informal] Officers had tailed the gang from London during a major undercover inquiry. [VERB noun] He trusted her so little that he had her tailed. [have noun VERB-ed] Synonyms: follow, track, shadow, trail 5. countable noun A tail is someone who is paid to watch and to follow another person. [informal] He checked behind. No tail. 6. adverb [ADVERB after verb] If you toss a coin and it comes down tails, you can see the side of it that does not have a picture of a head on it. 7. the tail is wagging the dog phrase [VERB inflects] If you say that the tail is wagging the dog, you mean that a small or unimportant part of something is becoming too important and is controlling the whole thing. [disapproval] Past TV deals have seen the tail wagging the dog. Now football clubs feel they are equal partners with TV. 8. with your tail between your legs phrase If you say that you have your tail between your legs, you are emphasizing that you feel defeated and ashamed. [emphasis] His team retreated last night with tails tucked firmly between their legs. 9. turn tail phrase [VERB inflects] If you turn tail, you turn and run away. I turned tail and fled in the direction of the main house. Synonyms: run away, flee, run off, escape 10. cannot make head or tail of something phrase If you say that you cannot make head nor tail of something or you cannot make head or tail of it, you are emphasizing that you cannot understand it at all. [informal] I couldn't make head nor tail of the damn film. 11. top and tail phrase [Vs inflect] If you top and tail fruit or vegetables such as French beans, you cut off the tops and the bottoms of them when you are preparing them to be eaten. [British] Phrasal verbs: tail away phrasal verb When a person's voice tails away or tails off, it gradually becomes quieter and then silent. His voice tailed away in the bitter cold air. [VERB PARTICLE] Benedict's voice tailed off, then resumed. [VERB PARTICLE] tail back 1. phrasal verb When traffic tails back, a long line of it forms along a road, and moves very slowly or not at all, for example because of road works or an accident. [British] Southbound traffic tailed back for twenty miles on the M5 near Bristol. [VERB PARTICLE] 2. See also tailback tail off 1. phrasal verb When something tails off, it gradually becomes less in amount or value, often before coming to an end completely. Last year, economic growth tailed off to below four percent. [VERB PARTICLE] British oil production will probably tail off and oil will be imported again. [VERB PARTICLE] 2. See also tail away Idioms: someone cannot make head or tail of something or someone cannot make head nor tail of something said to mean that someone cannot understand something at all I couldn't make head or tail of it myself, but it sounded like part of some sort of hymn or prayer. Easy Learning Idioms Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers in two shakes of a lamb's tail [old-fashioned, spoken] very soon or very quickly I'll be back in two shakes of a lamb's tail. Easy Learning Idioms Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers something has a sting in the tail [British] said to mean that although a remark or proposal seems, initially, welcome or pleasing, it contains an unpleasant part at the end The agreement had a sting in the tail. It said that the entire aid package would be suspended if the country did not make progress on the economic front. Easy Learning Idioms Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers chase your own tail or chase your tail to spend a lot of time and energy doing something, but achieving nothing It feels great to be making some progress on this project at last, and not just chasing my own tail. Easy Learning Idioms Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers go off with your tail between your legs to go away feeling very ashamed and embarrassed because of a defeat or a foolish mistake that you have made I ran out of money, lost my job, my house, my girlfriend. I came home to Sydney with my tail between my legs, absolutely broke and shattered. Easy Learning Idioms Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers on someone's tail following someone closely, often chasing them Juarez entered the finishing lap with Zadrobilek right on his tail. Only three kilometres remained. Easy Learning Idioms Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers the tail wags the dog said to mean that a small or unimportant part of something is becoming too important and is controlling the whole thing To avoid the impression of the tail wagging the dog, the prime minister cannot be seen to be giving in to the wishes of a minority party. Easy Learning Idioms Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers turn tail to turn and run away from someone or something because you are frightened of them Rebels were forced back from position after position until they turned tail and fled. Easy Learning Idioms Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers with your tail up feeling very happy or confident about your chances of success We'll go to court with our tails up. Easy Learning Idioms Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers Translations: Chinese: 尾巴, 跟踪 Japanese: 尾, 尾行する |
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