nail
Americannoun
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nails
plural
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a slender, typically rod-shaped rigid piece of metal, usually in any of numerous standard lengths from a fraction of an inch to several inches and having one end pointed and the other enlarged and flattened, for hammering into or through wood, other building materials, etc., as used in building, in fastening, or in holding separate pieces together.
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a thin, horny plate, consisting of modified epidermis, growing on the upper side of the end of a finger or toe.
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a former measure of length for cloth, equal to 2.25 inches (5.7 centimeters).
verb (used with object)
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nails,
present (3rd person singular)
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nailed,
past participle, past
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nailing
present participle
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to fasten with a nail or nails.
to nail the cover on a box.
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to enclose or confine (something) by nailing (often followed byup ).
to nail up oranges in a crate.
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to make fast or keep firmly in one place or position.
Surprise nailed him to the spot.
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to accomplish perfectly.
the only gymnast to nail the dismount.
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Informal.
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to secure by prompt action; catch or seize.
The police nailed him with the goods.
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to catch (a person) in some difficulty, lie, etc.
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to detect and expose (a lie, scandal, etc.).
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Slang. to hit (a person).
He nailed him on the chin with an uppercut in the first round.
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to focus intently on an object or subject.
She kept her eyes nailed on the suspicious customer.
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Obsolete. to stud with or as if with nails.
verb phrase
idioms
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hit the nail on the head, to say or do exactly the right thing; be accurate or correct.
Your analysis really hit the nail on the head.
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on the nail,
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of present interest; under discussion.
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without delay; on the spot; at once.
He was offered a job on the nail.
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nail in someone's / something's coffin, something that hastens the demise or failure of a person or thing.
Every moment's delay is another nail in his coffin.
noun
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a fastening device usually made from round or oval wire, having a point at one end and a head at the other
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anything resembling such a fastening device, esp in function or shape
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the horny plate covering part of the dorsal surface of the fingers or toes See fingernail toenail
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the claw of a mammal, bird, or reptile
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slang a hypodermic needle, used for injecting drugs
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a unit of length, formerly used for measuring cloth, equal to two and a quarter inches
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an experience or event that tends to shorten life or hasten the end of something
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to chew off the ends of one's fingernails
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to be worried or apprehensive
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in tough physical condition
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without sentiment or feelings
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to do or say something correct or telling
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(of payments) at once (esp in the phrase pay on the nail )
verb
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to attach with or as if with nails
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informal to arrest or seize
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informal to hit or bring down, as with a shot
I nailed the sniper
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informal to expose or detect (a lie or liar)
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to fix or focus (one's eyes, attention, etc) on an object
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to stud with nails
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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nailernoun
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renailverb (used with object)
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nail-lessadjective
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naillessadjective
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naillikeadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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nailsimple
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nailssimple
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have nailedperfect
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has nailedperfect
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am nailingprogressive
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are nailingprogressive
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is nailingprogressive
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have been nailingperfect progressive
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has been nailingperfect progressive
Past
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nailedsimple
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had nailedperfect
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was nailingprogressive
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were nailingprogressive
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had been nailingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of nail
First recorded before 900; Middle English (noun) nail, nayl, Old English nægl, cognate with Old Frisian neil, Old Saxon, Old High German nagal, Dutch nagel, German Nagel, Old Norse nagl “fingernail,” all from unattested Germanic naglaz; akin as derivative to Lithuanian nãgas, nagà “hoof,” Old Prussian nage “foot,” Old Church Slavonic noga “leg, foot” ( Serbo-Croatian nòga, Czech noha, Polish noga, Russian nogá; probably originally a jocular reference to the foot as a hoof), Old Church Slavonic nogŭtĭ, Tocharian A maku, Tocharian B mekwa “fingernail, claw,” all from unattested North European Indo-European ənogwh-; further akin to Old Irish ingen, Welsh ewin, Breton ivin, from unattested Celtic ṇgwhīnā, Latin unguis, from unattested Italo-Celtic əngwhi-; Greek ónyx, stem onych-, Sanskrit áṅghri- “foot” from unattested áṅghli-; Armenian ełungn, from unattested onogwh-; Middle English (verb) nail(e), nayle, Old English næglian, cognate with Old Saxon neglian, Old High German negilen, Old Norse negla, from unattested Germanic nagl-janan; compare Gothic ganagljan
Explanation
A nail is the pointed piece of metal that you pound with a hammer when you're building something. When you go to a nail salon, however, don't bring a pack of nails; bring your toes and fingers instead! When construction workers pound nails into wood, they nail them. Another kind of nail is the one at the end of each of your fingers and toes. In addition to hitting a nail, the verb version of nail also means "to arrest," "to succeed easily," and "to hit." Nail polish is what you use to color the nails on your hands (or feet), and when you "hit the nail on the head," you get the exact right answer.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
However, the deal represented the last nail in the coffin for the Kurds' long-held dream of autonomy.
From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026
Both dissents hit the nail on the head.
From Slate ● Jul. 24, 2026
Back in June, Healey's resignation, as one of Sir Keir's most loyal cabinet allies, ended up being the final nail in the coffin for the former prime minister's premiership.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
The corridor is lined with small businesses: neighborhood markets as well as nail salons, repair shops, sign makers and restaurants.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
I nail the rest of the frame together in five solid whacks.
From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz
A bizarre hodgepodge of retrograde machismo and perfectly manicured nails.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 22, 2026
Other discoveries include glass beads, stone tools, nails, and animal bones from meals that included turtle, freshwater fish, and turkey.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 22, 2026
"Everyone knows I love a bit of glam and I love my nails."
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
This approach also goes far beyond nails, with jewellery, hairstyles and outfits being used by sports stars, and beyond, in the hope of enhancing their performances.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
He had clean, clipped nails, and calluses along his fingers, probably from working on the house with his dad.
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
American Brendan Steele was the only player BBC Sport spoke to in the week who has nailed his colours to the mast - he wants to remain a LIV player.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
It was on line and probably would have nailed the hustling Gantner but John cut it off, then threw wildly past catcher Don Slaught and into the Brewers’ dugout as Gantner scored.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026
And some of the loose language, in both the MoU and the current statement, could be nailed down.
From Slate ● Aug. 10, 2026
Everyone agreed that they nailed it with the coach.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
There is a sound of hammering; it is the box being nailed down.
From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker
After nailing down a center, Pelinka also needs to really hit on the margins.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 28, 2026
But he found a groove in the third session, second fastest by just 0.043secs and then nailing a beauty of a final lap.
From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2026
Lee is known for making some bold and accurate calls, advising investors to buy stocks during pandemic lows and nailing the 2023 bull market.
From MarketWatch ● May 1, 2026
But nailing down the reason for No Kings is more like spinning the Wheel of Defeatists Complaints.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 5, 2026
He framed the picture and hung it in our hallway, nailing it right next to the old black- and-white of himself in his thin necktie shaking hands with King Zahir Shah.
From "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
