I. ˈtāl-ˌgāt noun
Date: 1868
1. : a board or gate at the rear of a vehicle that can be removed or let down (as for loading)
2.
[from the custom of seating trombonists at the rear of trucks carrying jazz bands in parades]
: a jazz trombone style marked by much use of slides to and from long sustained tones
II. verb
( tail·gat·ed ; tail·gat·ing )
Date: 1949
intransitive verb
1. : to drive dangerously close behind another vehicle
2. : to hold a tailgate picnic
transitive verb
: to drive dangerously close behind
• tail·gat·er noun
III. adjective
Date: 1962
: relating to or being a picnic set up on the tailgate especially of a station wagon