entail

American  

[en-teyl, en-teyl, en-teyl] / ɛnˈteɪl, ɛnˈteɪl, ˈɛn teɪl /

verb (used with object)

1. to cause or involve by necessity or as a consequence.

   a loss entailing no regret.

2. to impose as a burden.

   Success entails hard work.

3. Law. to limit the passage of (real estate) to a specified line of heirs, so that it cannot be transferred or bequeathed to anyone else.

4. Law. to cause (anything) to descend to a fixed series of possessors.

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noun

1. the act of entailing.

2. Law. the state of being entailed.

3. any predetermined order of succession, as to an office.

4. Law. something that is entailed, as an estate.

5. Law. the rule of descent settled for an estate.

entail British  

/ ɪnˈteɪl /

verb

1. to bring about or impose by necessity; have as a necessary consequence

   this task entails careful thought

2. property law to restrict (the descent of an estate) to a designated line of heirs

3. logic to have as a necessary consequence

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noun

1. property law

   1. the restriction imposed by entailing an estate

   2. an estate that has been entailed

Other Word Forms

• entailer noun
• entailment noun
• preentail verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of entail

First recorded in 1350–1400; from Middle English entailen (verb), entail (noun), equivalent to en- ¹ + tail ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

I think as time progresses, I enjoy spending time with my friends — whatever that entails.

From Los Angeles Times

Many people in early retirement are now thinking about Roth conversions, which entails taking money out of traditional accounts, paying the tax and then moving the money to the Roth account.

From MarketWatch

The initial phase, under one option, would entail 40 units, most of them studios at 300 square feet—roughly the size of a hotel room—with limited on-site parking when fully built out.

From The Wall Street Journal

The so-called strangle strategy entails buying a put option and call option that are below and above the market, respectively, and that share the same expiration date.

From Barron's

The so-called strangle strategy entails buying a put option and call option that are below and above the market, respectively, and that share the same expiration date.

From Barron's

Related Words

• bring about
• call for
• encompass
• involve
• lead to
• necessitate
• require