fingernailn.
/ˈfɪŋɡəneɪl/, U.S. /ˈfɪŋɡərˌneɪl/ A smooth horny plate on the upper surface of the end of each finger. Cf. nail n. 1a, toenail n. (a) at toe n. Compounds 2.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > nail > [noun] > finger nail
hand naileOE
fingernaila1250
onglec1436
the ten commandments?1544
talons1594
unguicule1694
flesh-spades1749
a1250 Wohunge ure Lauerd in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1868) 1st Ser. 281 Þat te blod wrang ut at tine finger neiles.
c1390 Talkyng of Love of God (Vernon) (1950) 395 (MED) Heo þe bounden so egerlych & so faste þat þe blod sprong out at þe fynger nayles.
1602 T. A. Massacre of Money viii. 84 As his haire, and finger nailes; he shall find diuers passions and perturbations, that are voide of Reason.
1673 M. Lister Let. 21 May (1683) 72 The one end was as broad as my little finger-nail, and pointed like a lancet.
1705 Philos. Trans. 1704–05 (Royal Soc.) 24 1899 His Finger-nails and Thumb-nails began to grow thick, and by degrees hardned into Horns.
1777 F. Carter Journey from Gibraltar to Malaga III. 316 A chapel, the walls of which are entirely covered with a marble Mosaic, and in it not a piece bigger than a finger-nail.
1821 Plough Boy (Albany, N.Y.) 6 Jan. 251/3 Does papa wish to see his family go in this plight on public occasions? I would rather work my finger nails off than do so.
1884 Ld. Tennyson Becket iii. i. 124 He's as like the King as fingernail to fingernail.
1911 H. S. Harrison Queed xi. 134 Sharlee tapped the calcimine with her pointed finger-nails.
1973 T. Hillerman Dance Hall of Dead (1990) xii. 131 Isaacs' cracked, dirty fingernail indicated the series of ridges where the flint had been flaked way.
2011 C. Taylor Londoners 318 She has painted fingernails and lively dark eyes that sometimes tear up as she speaks.
Phrases
P1. to bite one's fingernails: to chew one's fingernails as a sign of impatience, nervousness, anxiety, etc.; (also figurative) to be nervous, bored, anxious, etc.; to think hard, to concentrate (cf. to bite one's nails at nail n. Phrases 2d).
ΚΠ
1847 Bentley's Misc. Oct. 337 I returned home completely chapfallen, and..sat down to brood over my ill-luck, and bite my finger-nails to the quick.
1865 Austral. Jrnl. 28 Oct. 140/1 When your husband takes up the newspaper in the morning, instead of your hand.., turn your face resolutely to the wall, bite your fingernails.
1913 J. Mätter Three Farms 203 It is not the least of my pleasures to walk (while Ambition bites her fingernails) with wan, smiling Memory and open again these doors.
1915 F. H. Burnett Lost Prince iv. 40 He had sat biting his finger-nails, as was a trick of his when he was excited or angry.
1957 Great Bend (Kansas) Daily Tribune 13 Sept. 4/2 This is leaving the gentlemen of the Federal Communications Commission, in charge of radio and television doings, biting their fingernails.
1996 Smash Hits 27 Mar. 18/2 I still bite my fingernails.
2003 N.Y. Times 28 Sept. iv. 3/3 52 percent of those surveyed were not pleased with the way Mr. Bush had handled the economy. ‘They are biting their fingernails.’
P2. to one's fingernails: completely, thoroughly; to the greatest degree or extent.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > wholeness > completeness > completely [phrase] > thoroughly > from beginning to end or through and through
to the boneOE
through and throughc1225
out and outc1300
from top to tail1303
out and inc1390
(from) head to heel (also heels)c1400
(from) head to foot (also feet)c1425
from top to (into, unto) toec1425
to the skin1526
to one's (also the) finger (also fingers') ends1530
from first to last1536
up and down1542
whole out1562
to the pith1587
to the back1594
from A to (also until) Z1612
from clew to earing1627
from top to bottom1666
back and edge1673
all hollow1762
(all) to pieces1788
from A to Za1821
to one's (also the) fingertips1825
to one's fingernails1851
from tip to toe1853
down to the ground1859
to the backbone1864
right the way1867
pur sang1893
from the ground up1895
in and out1895
from soda (card) to hock1902
1851 Ld. Tennyson Edwin Morris in Poems (ed. 7) 229 He seem'd All-perfect, finish'd to the finger nail.
1888 Graphic Summer No. 21/1 I was a theosophist to my finger-nails.
1998 Dancing Times Jan. 311/2 The London cast of Chicago has been coached right down to their fingernails.
P3. figurative. by one's fingernails and variants: by a very narrow margin, barely, only just; = by one's fingertips at fingertip n. and adj. Phrases 3. Chiefly in to hang (also hold, cling, etc.) on (to something) by one's fingernails. Cf. by the skin of one's teeth at skin n. Phrases 7.
ΚΠ
1905 Salt Lake Tribune 28 May 16/1 This is not the time to give up. Hang on by your finger-nails and your eyelashes if necessary.
1914 Anaconda (Montana) Standard 20 July 2/5 We are only holding on to the lead by our fingernails.
1943 N.Y. Times 27 May 5/1 His dismissal has been considered for some time and well informed observers told this correspondent that ‘he is holding on by his fingernails’.
1951 J. Jones From Here to Eternity xii. 158 And him, who had been a rip-roarer in the old days back in China, hanging on by his fingernails the last five years to get that pension.
1970 R. Thorp & R. Blake Music of their Laughter 24/2 I'm not hanging on by my fingernails or anything.
1989 N.Y. Times (Nexis) 1 June 8/1 The central Government is hanging on by its fingernails.
1996 Maclean's 4 Mar. 79/2 The aging, sun-blasted Redford..seems to be clinging to his boyish charm by his fingernails.
2005 J. Diamond Collapse (2006) i. 70 It was a struggle. There were difficult times, and they hung on by their fingernails.
Compounds
C1. General attributive, as fingernail polish, fingernail clipping, etc.
ΚΠ
1836 Manch. Times 19 Mar. The identical bible..was found at the shop of a pawnbroker, with the finger and finger nail marks.
1885 N.Y.'s Great Industries (Edwards & Critten) (new ed.) 168/2 The most brilliant finger nail polish in the world.
1904 Jrnl. Cutaneous Dis. 22 56 Microscopical examination of finger nail clippings revealed the presence of mycelia.
1928 N.Y. Times 14 Aug. 22/6 Selling it in pretty bottles for finger-nail enamel.
1978 Washington Post (Nexis) 2 July h3 Creative Airs Nail Bounty..buys fingernail clippings for use as nail transplants.
1988 D. French Working (1991) vii. 206 Black lace and red fingernail polish.
1994 N. Baker Size of Thoughts (1996) 54 Family Manicure kit, with a fingernail clipper and toenail clippers.
1999 Warwick Boar 19 Jan. (The Core section) 2/2 Make a good fingernail brush by cutting down the bristles of an old tooth brush.
2004 Independent (Compact ed.) 29 Mar. (Review section) 19/1 (heading) Boots Precision Grip curved fingernail scissors.
C2.
fingernail biter n. (a) a person who bites his or her nails, esp. habitually (cf. nail-biter n. 1); (b) a suspenseful event, situation, etc.; spec. a close sporting contest (= nail-biter n. 2).
ΚΠ
1898 Evening Star (Washington, D.C.) 18 June 14/2 In almost every case where a parent..has been a finger-nail-biter,..the children have..fallen into the same practice.
1958 Washington Post 6 Apr. e7/3 Its plot, once under way, is a fingernail biter.
1992 Vancouver Sun (Nexis) 11 Apr. h9 The record-setting Flutie making every game a fourth-quarter fingernail-biter.
2010 T. Reber Love Unscripted (2013) 86 I noticed he was a fingernail biter.
fingernail-biting n. and adj. (a) n. the action or habit of biting one's fingernails; (also in extended use) the action of worrying; nervousness, anxiety; (b) adj. (in extended use of an event, situation, etc.) tense, suspenseful; nerve-racking.
ΚΠ
1866 Cleveland (Ohio) Herald 12 Nov. We were not before aware that finger nail biting ever proved fatal.
1900 Racine (Wisconsin) Weekly Jrnl. 11 Oct. 7/5 A French scientist has found a name for the finger-nail-biting-habit.
1942 Titusville (Pa.) Herald 23 June 6/2 Several anxious finger-nail-biting moments waiting for the photo to be developed.
1960 North Adams (Mass.) Transcript 26 July 7/1 A last inning rally that had the crowd in a finger nail biting, seat squirming situation.
1966 Lowell (Mass.) Sun 26 July 21/3 Send your problems to George and have your finger-nail biting done by proxy.
1971 Sailplane & Gliding 22 364/1 Many hours later Barrie pulled off a ‘fingernail-biting’ final glide to receive a tumultuous welcome.
1999 Morning Star (Wilmington, N. Carolina) (Nexis) 8 Feb. 1 d Less tangible an influence is stress, often to blame for the more common bad habits, especially overeating and fingernail biting.
2001 A. K. Helbig & A. R. Perkins Many Peoples, One Land 221 In a slam-bang, fingernail-biting conclusion, Escobedo corners the murderer.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2016; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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