dovetail

[ duhv-teyl ]

noun

, Carpentry.

1. a tenon broader at its end than at its base; pin.
2. a joint formed of one or more such tenons fitting tightly within corresponding mortises.

verb (used with or without object)

1. Carpentry. to join or fit together by means of a dovetail or dovetails.
2. to join or fit together compactly or harmoniously.

dovetail

/ ˈdʌvˌteɪl /

noun

1. a wedge-shaped tenon
2. Also calleddovetail joint a joint containing such tenons

verb

1. tr to join by means of dovetails
2. to fit or cause to fit together closely or neatly

   he dovetailed his arguments to the desired conclusion

Other Words From

• dovetailer noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of dovetail¹

First recorded in 1555–65; so named from its shape

Example Sentences

To get the full benefit of TV ads, marketers need to create a digital dovetail to extend the reach and impact of their spots with real-time digital activations that can capture demand in the moment.

From Digiday

Your acid experiences also seem to dovetail with expanding your musical consciousness.

From The Daily Beast

The novel is structurally daring, managing to dovetail the perspectives of both boys.

From The Daily Beast

High-minded pursuits dovetail with rigidly disciplining your body.

From The Daily Beast

And the overriding issue of the election—the economy—happens to dovetail with the issues that concern New Hampshire Republicans.

From The Daily Beast

Well, now these dynamics dovetail as Mercury and Mars dosey doe in your cosmic sector of mass consciousness.

From The Daily Beast

The dovetail is a most important joint; its most usual forms are illustrated in fig. 3.

From Project Gutenberg

The sermon should be constructed to fit the man; argument and emotion should not stand apart, but dovetail and interlace.

From Project Gutenberg

Fig. 37 is "Oblique Dovetail Halving," one side of the piece being dovetailed.

From Project Gutenberg

In this case the dovetail is similar to Fig. 33, with the exception that it does not run through the bottom rail.

From Project Gutenberg

Fig. 47 shows a combination of a bevelled dovetail half-lapped joint.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• coincide
• conform
• correspond
• harmonize
• jibe