| 释义 |
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024tail1 /teɪl/USA pronunciation n. [countable]- Zoologythe hindmost part of an animal, esp. the part that forms a distinct, flexible growth on the trunk:The dog wagged its tail.
- something suggesting this:the tail of a comet.
- Also, tails. [plural]the side of a coin that does not have a face of a person on it (opposed to head ).
- Aeronauticsthe rear portion of an airplane or the like.
- Clothing tails, [plural]
- Clothingthe skirts at the back of a coat.
- Clothingmen's formal clothing.
- Slang Termsthe buttocks or rump.
- Informal Termsone who trails another, as a detective or spy.
- a final or concluding part;
end.
adj. [before a noun] - coming from behind:a tail breeze.
- being in the back or rear:a tail gun on a B–17.
v. [~ + object] - Informal Termsto follow in order to prevent escape or in order to observe:The FBI tailed the suspect to his home.
Idioms- Idioms turn tail, to run away from difficulty, etc.;
flee:The soldiers turned tail. - Idioms with one's tail between one's legs, completely defeated or humiliated.
tail•less, adj. -tail-, root. - -tail- comes from French and ultimately from Latin, where it has the meaning "cut.'' This meaning is found in such words as: curtail, detail, entail, retail, tailor.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024tail1 (tāl),USA pronunciation n. - Zoologythe hindmost part of an animal, esp. that forming a distinct, flexible appendage to the trunk.
- something resembling or suggesting this in shape or position:the tail of a kite.
- Astronomythe luminous stream extending from the head of a comet.
- the reverse of a coin (opposed to head).
- Aeronauticsthe after portion of an airplane or the like.
- Clothing tails:
- ClothingSee tail coat.
- Clothingthe tapering skirts or ends at the back of a coat, esp. a tail coat.
- Clothingmen's full-dress attire.
- Wine[Distilling.]alcohol obtained in the final distillation. Cf. head (def. 22).
- Slang Termsthe buttocks or rump.
- Informal Termsa person who trails or keeps a close surveillance of another, as a detective or spy:The police decided to put a tail on the suspect.
- Informal Termsthe trail of a fleeing person or animal:They put a detective on his tail.
- Slang Terms(vulgar).
- coitus.
- a woman considered as a sexual object.
- the hinder, bottom, or end part of anything;
the rear. - a final or concluding part of a sentence, conversation, social gathering, etc.;
conclusion;
end:The tail of the speech was boring. Toward the tail of the concert I'd begun to get tired. - the inferior or unwanted part of anything.
- a long braid or tress of hair.
- an arrangement of objects or persons extending as or as if a tail.
- a line of persons awaiting their turns at something;
queue. - a retinue;
train. - the lower part of a pool or stream.
- Buildingthe exposed portion of a piece of roofing, as a slate.
- Printingthe bottom of a page or book.
- Printingthe lower portion of a type, as of g, y, or Q.
- turn tail:
- to turn one's back on, as in aversion or fright.
- to run away from difficulty, opposition, etc.;
flee:The sight of superior forces made the attackers turn tail.
- with one's tail between one's legs, utterly humiliated;
defeated;
cowed:They were forced to retreat with their tails between their legs.
adj. - coming from behind:a tail breeze.
- being in the back or rear:the tail section of a plane.
v.t. - Informal Termsto follow in order to hinder escape of or to observe:to tail a suspect.
- to form or furnish with a tail.
- to form or constitute the tail or end of (a procession, retinue, etc.).
- to terminate;
come after or behind;
follow like a tail. - to join or attach (one thing) at the tail or end of another.
- Buildingto fasten (a beam, stone, etc.) by one end (usually fol. by in or into).
- Veterinary Diseasesto dock the tail of (a horse, dog, etc.).
v.i. - to follow close behind:She always tails after her sister.
- to disappear gradually or merge into:The path tails off into the woods.
- to form, or move or pass in, a line or column suggestive of a tail:The hikers tailed up the narrow path.
- Nautical, Naval Terms(of a boat) to have or take a position with the stern in a particular direction.
- Building(of a beam, stone, etc.) to be fastened by one end (usually fol. by in or into).
- bef. 900; Middle English; Old English tægl; cognate with Old Norse tagl horse's tail, Gothic tagl hair, Middle High German zagel tail, Middle Low German tagel rope-end
- Lawthe limitation of an estate to a person and the heirs of his or her body, or some particular class of such heirs.
adj. - Lawlimited to a specified line of heirs;
being in tail.
- Anglo-French tailé cut, shaped, limited, past participle of tailler
- Late Latin tāliāre (see tailor1); (adjective, adjectival) late Middle English taille
- Old French, derivative of taillier to cut
- (noun, nominal) Middle English taille 1200–50
|