tail

Definition

  • noun: the part of an animal's body that extends from the animal's back end
  • noun: the rear end or a process or prolongation of the rear end of the body of an animal
  • verb: to connect end to end
  • verb: to follow (someone) closely
  • usually used to refer to one of the two choices you can make when a coin is thrown in the air to decide something
  • synonyms: thule, ultima thule, abridged

Examples

  • The technical details were 'over my head'. [=too complicated for me to understand]

  • She started to ask a question and then her voice 'tailed off'. [='trailed off']

  • His handwriting was so bad that we 'couldn't make heads or tails out of' it.

Movie quotes

  • (..) Dialogue: Marked=..,Default,NTP,!Effect,...you could always threaten him... Dialogue: Marked=..,Default,NTP,!Effect,...with a nice pair of ears\Nto go with that tail of his. Dialogue: Marked=..,Default,NTP,!Effect,But Hagrid, we're not allowed to do magic\Naway from Hogwarts. You know that. (..)
    2001 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
  • (..) Dialogue: Marked=..,Default,NTP,!Effect,Very curious. Dialogue: Marked=..,Default,NTP,!Effect,lt so happens that the phoenix... Dialogue: Marked=..,Default,NTP,!Effect,...whose tail feather resides\Nin your wand, gave another feather. Dialogue: Marked=..,Default,NTP,!Effect,Just one other. (..)
    2001 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone