entail

[ verb en-teyl; noun en-teyl, en-teyl ]

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.

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

/ 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

noun

1. property law
   1. the restriction imposed by entailing an estate
   2. an estate that has been entailed

Derived Forms

• enˈtailer, noun

Other Words From

• en·tail·er noun
• en·tail·ment noun
• pre·en·tail verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of entail¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of entail¹

C14: entaillen , from en- ¹+ taille limitation, tail ²

Example Sentences

In March 2018, Mr. Perez agreed to a secret plea deal that entailed admitting to tax evasion and cooperating on a broader industry investigation.

From New York Times

What exactly those leadership qualities might entail was left vague.

From Los Angeles Times

No one knows exactly what the role entails, and given the president-elect’s volatility, it’s doubtful Homan will last long enough to show us.

From Los Angeles Times

The more a nation invests in border security, the more attractive it becomes to traffickers, because greater risks entail greater rewards.

From Salon

The horseplay this entails, though gamely performed, grows dizzying.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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