NAIL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does nail mean? 

• NAIL (noun)
  The noun NAIL has 3 senses:

1. horny plate covering and protecting part of the dorsal surface of the digits

2. a thin pointed piece of metal that is hammered into materials as a fastener

3. a former unit of length for cloth equal to 1/16 of a yard

  Familiarity information: NAIL used as a noun is uncommon.

• NAIL (verb)
  The verb NAIL has 7 senses:

1. attach something somewhere by means of nails

2. take into custody

3. hit hard

4. succeed in obtaining a position

5. succeed at easily

6. locate exactly

7. complete a pass

  Familiarity information: NAIL used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• NAIL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Horny plate covering and protecting part of the dorsal surface of the digits

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Hypernyms ("nail" is a kind of...):

horny structure; unguis (any rigid body structure composed primarily of keratin)

Meronyms (parts of "nail"):

root (the embedded part of a bodily structure such as a tooth, nail, or hair)

matrix (the formative tissue at the base of a nail)

half-moon; lunula; lunule (the crescent-shaped area at the base of the human fingernail)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "nail"):

fingernail (the nail at the end of a finger)

toenail (the nail at the end of a toe)

Holonyms ("nail" is a part of...):

integumentary system (the skin and its appendages)

dactyl; digit (a finger or toe in human beings or corresponding body part in other vertebrates)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A thin pointed piece of metal that is hammered into materials as a fastener

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("nail" is a kind of...):

fastener; fastening; fixing; holdfast (restraint that attaches to something or holds something in place)

Meronyms (parts of "nail"):

clinch (the flattened part of a nail or bolt or rivet)

shank; stem (cylinder forming a long narrow part of something)

nailhead (flattened boss on the end of nail opposite to the point)

head (a projection out from one end)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "nail"):

brad (a small nail)

clout; clout nail (a short nail with a flat head; used to attach sheet metal to wood)

doornail (a nail with a large head; formerly used to decorate doors)

eightpenny nail (a nail 2.5 inches long)

fourpenny nail (a nail 1.5 inches long)

hobnail (a short nail with a thick head; used to protect the soles of boots)

sixpenny nail (a nail 2 inches long)

spike (a large stout nail)

staple (a short U-shaped wire nail for securing cables)

stub nail (a short thick nail)

tack (a short nail with a sharp point and a large head)

tenpenny nail (a nail 3 inches long)

Derivation:

nail (attach something somewhere by means of nails)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A former unit of length for cloth equal to 1/16 of a yard

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Hypernyms ("nail" is a kind of...):

linear measure; linear unit (a unit of measurement of length)

• NAIL (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they nail    ... he / she / it nails   
Past simple: nailed   
Past participle: nailed   
-ing form: nailing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Attach something somewhere by means of nails

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

nail the board onto the wall

Hypernyms (to "nail" is one way to...):

attach (cause to be attached)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something PP

Also:

nail down (define clearly)

Derivation:

nail (a thin pointed piece of metal that is hammered into materials as a fastener)

nailer (a worker who attaches something by nailing it)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Take into custody

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

apprehend; arrest; collar; cop; nab; nail; pick up

Context example:

the police nabbed the suspected criminals

Hypernyms (to "nail" is one way to...):

clutch; prehend; seize (take hold of; grab)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 3

Meaning:

Hit hard

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

blast; boom; nail; smash

Context example:

He smashed a 3-run homer

Hypernyms (to "nail" is one way to...):

hit (deal a blow to, either with the hand or with an instrument)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 4

Meaning:

Succeed in obtaining a position

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

nail; nail down; peg

Context example:

He nailed down a spot at Harvard

Hypernyms (to "nail" is one way to...):

bring home the bacon; come through; deliver the goods; succeed; win (attain success or reach a desired goal)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 5

Meaning:

Succeed at easily

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

ace; breeze through; nail; pass with flying colors; sail through; sweep through

Context example:

She nailed her astrophysics course

Hypernyms (to "nail" is one way to...):

make it; pass (go successfully through a test or a selection process)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 6

Meaning:

Locate exactly

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

nail; pinpoint

Context example:

The chemists could not nail the identity of the chromosome

Hypernyms (to "nail" is one way to...):

locate; turn up (discover the location of; determine the place of; find by searching or examining)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP

Sense 7

Meaning:

Complete a pass

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

complete; nail

Hypernyms (to "nail" is one way to...):

play (participate in games or sport)

Domain category:

football; football game (any of various games played with a ball (round or oval) in which two teams try to kick or carry or propel the ball into each other's goal)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

 Context examples 

Straight elevated lines on the nail surface.

(Nail Ridging, NCI Thesaurus)

An acute or chronic infection of the soft tissues around the nail.

(Paronychia, NCI Thesaurus)

Old shoes, but newly shod—old shoes, but new nails.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Depressions on the surface of the nail.

(Nail Pitting, NCI Thesaurus)

You silly creature! said the eldest, it is nothing but a nail in the wall.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

A disorder characterized by loss of all or a portion of the nail.

(Nail Loss, NCI Thesaurus/CTCAE)

I threw myself, screaming, against the door, and dragged with my nails at the lock.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Under the efforts of both men the lid began to yield; the nails drew with a quick screeching sound, and the top of the box was thrown back.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

I have that curiosity beside me at this moment, but not a trace of writing now remains beyond a single scratch, such as a man might make with his thumb-nail.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

He tried it with the ball of his thumb or across the nail.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)