I. ˈtāl noun
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English tægel; akin to Old High German zagal tail, Middle Irish dúal lock of hair
Date: before 12th century
1. : the rear end or a process or prolongation of the rear end of the body of an animal
2. : something resembling an animal's tail in shape or position: as
a. : a luminous stream of particles, gases, or ions extending from a comet especially in the antisolar direction
b. : the rear part of an airplane consisting usually of horizontal and vertical stabilizing surfaces with attached control surfaces
3. : retinue
4. plural
a. : tailcoat
b. : full evening dress for men
5.
a. : buttocks, butt
b. usually vulgar : sexual intercourse
6. : the back, last, lower, or inferior part of something
7. : tailing 1 — usually used in plural
8. : the reverse of a coin — usually used in plural
tail s, I win
9. : one (as a detective) who follows or keeps watch on someone
10. : the blank space at the bottom of a page
11. : a location immediately or not far behind
had a posse on his tail
• tailed ˈtāld adjective
• tail·less ˈtāl-ləs adjective
• tail·like -ˌlīk adjective
II. verb
Date: 1523
transitive verb
1. : to connect end to end
2.
a. : to remove the tail of (an animal) : dock
b. : to remove the stem or bottom part of
topping and tail ing gooseberries
3.
a. : to make or furnish with a tail
b. : to follow or be drawn behind like a tail
4. : to follow for purposes of surveillance
intransitive verb
1. : to form or move in a straggling line
2. : to grow progressively smaller, fainter, or more scattered : abate — usually used with off
productivity is tail ing off — Tom Nicholson
3. : to swing or lie with the stern in a named direction — used of a ship at anchor
4. : tag II
• tail·er noun
III. noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from tailler
Date: 14th century
: entail 1a
IV. adjective
Etymology: Middle English taille, from Anglo-French taylé, past participle of tailler to cut, limit — more at tailor
Date: 15th century
: limited as to tenure : entailed