fishtail

[ fish-teyl ]

verb (used without object)

1. to swerve or skid from side to side, as the rear end of a car.
2. to slow an airplane by causing its tail to move rapidly from side to side.

noun

1. such a maneuver.
2. a gas burner having two jets crossing each other so as to produce a flame resembling a fish's tail.
3. a device having a long, narrow slot at the top, placed over a gas jet, as of a Bunsen burner, to give a thin, fanlike flame.
4. Jewelry. a setting consisting of four prominent triangular corner prongs to hold the stone.

fishtail

/ ˈfɪʃˌteɪl /

noun

1. an aeroplane manoeuvre in which the tail is moved from side to side to reduce speed
2. a nozzle having a long narrow slot at the top, placed over a Bunsen burner to produce a thin fanlike flame

verb

1. to slow an aeroplane by moving the tail from side to side
2. to drive with the rear of the vehicle moving from side to side in an uncontrolled fashion

Word History and Origins

Origin of fishtail¹

1400–50; late Middle English. See fish, tail ¹

Example Sentences

The driver slammed on the brakes, and the rear of the sports car fishtailed all the way around until it slid to a screeching halt against the curb.

From Literature

For the Oscars red carpet she donned a stunning fishtail gown, recreating an original design from 1951 - the year that Felicia and Leonard Bernstein got married.

From BBC

But one day, she lost control of her vehicle on the way home from class, overcorrected, fishtailed and rolled over several times.

From Seattle Times

He made sure to stay in the middle lanes on the freeway to avoid fishtailing in the big puddles.

From Los Angeles Times

Her vehicle fishtailed for about 1,000 feet and came to a stop in four inches of water.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• fluctuate
• lurch
• seesaw
• teeter
• vacillate
• waver
• wobble