n. 1 fastener, fastening, spike, pin The pieces were held together by several nails 2 fingernail, toenail, claw, talon The detective found some fibres under the victim's nails 3 bite one's nails. worry, agonize, fret, lose sleep (over), chafe, suffer, Colloq stew (over or about) Carl is biting his nails over the result of his cholesterol test 4 hard or tough as nails. a tough, vigorous, hardy After years of mountain-climbing, René is as hard as nails b cold, unsentimental, unsympathetic, unfeeling The boss, as hard as nails, doesn't care what you sacrifice to get the job done 5 hit the nail on the head. be accurate, be correct, be precise, be right, put (one's) finger on it When you said they were fools, you really hit the nail on the head 6 on the nail. immediately, at once, straight or right away, promptly, without delay, on the spot, Colloq US on the barrel-head He has always paid his bills right on the nail
v. 7 attach, secure, join, pin, tack, clinch or clench; fasten, fix, focus, rivet, glue The door to the mysterious room was nailed shut His eyes were nailed to the pressure gauge. 8 See nab, above. 9 hit, strike; punch; shoot She nailed him with a left hook and he sank like a stone 10 nail down. settle, secure, resolve, complete, conclude, make final; finalize Let's celebrate: I nailed down the order for 10,000 air-conditioning units