nail

Meaning

Noun

1. The thin, horny plate at the ends of fingers and toes on humans and some other animals.
2. The basal thickened portion of the anterior wings of certain hemiptera.
3. The terminal horny plate on the beak of ducks, and other allied birds.
4. The claw of a bird or other animal.
5. A spike-shaped metal fastener used for joining wood or similar materials. The nail is generally driven through two or more layers of material by means of impacts from a hammer or other device. It is then held in place by friction.
6. A round pedestal on which merchants once carried out their business, such as the four nails outside The Exchange, Bristol.
7. An archaic English unit of length equivalent to ¹⁄₂₀ of an ell or ¹⁄₁₆ of a yard (2+¹⁄₄ inches or 5.715 cm).

Verb

1. (transitive) To fix (an object) to another object using a nail.
2. (intransitive) To drive a nail.
3. (transitive) To stud or boss with nails, or as if with nails.
4. (slang) To catch.
5. (slang, transitive) To expose as a sham.
6. (slang, transitive) To accomplish (a task) completely and successfully.
7. (slang, transitive) To hit (a target) effectively with some weapon.
8. (slang, transitive, vulgar) Of a male, to engage in sexual intercourse with.
9. To spike, as a cannon.
10. (transitive) To nail down: to make certain, or confirm.
11. (obsolete, slang, transitive) To steal.

Opposite of

screw

Synonyms

claw

fingernail

💅

spike

toenail

peg

hammer

🔨

pin

tack

talon

screw

nail down

fasten

hoof

pound

💷

nab

smash

needle

boom

💥

blast

hook

🪝

knock

fuck

👉👌

finger nail

arrest

unguis

strike

spear

sprig

stud

stake

bone

🦴

sew

drive

apprehend

report

sail through

pick up

nails

pinpoint

lock

🔒

attach

cop

👮

beat

complete

button

collar

fix

brad

ace

drive in

Translations

ongle

clou

Nagel

chiodo

uña

💅

nagel

clavo

unghia

nageln

clavar

prego

spijker

clouer

unha

Pronounced as (IPA)

/neɪl/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: nail

Inherited from Old English: næġl

Cognate with Northern Frisian: Nail

Cognate with Saterland Frisian: Nail

Cognate with Western Frisian: neil

Cognate with Low German: Nagel

Cognate with Dutch: nagel

Cognate with German: Nagel

Cognate with Danish: negl

Cognate with Swedish: nagel

Cognate with Finnish: naula

Cognate with Estonian: nael

Cognate with Irish: ionga

Cognate with Latin: unguis

Cognate with Albanian: nyell

Cognate with Lithuanian: nagas

Cognate with Russian: нога́

Cognate with Ancient Greek: ὄνυξ

Cognate with Persian: ناخن

Cognate with Sanskrit: नख

Inherited from Middle English: naylen

Inherited from Old English: næġlan

In summary

From Middle English nail, nayl, Old English næġl, from Proto-West Germanic *nagl, from Proto-Germanic *naglaz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₃nogʰ- (“nail”).
Cognates
Compare North Frisian Nail (“nail”), Saterland Frisian Nail (“nail”), West Frisian neil, Low German Nagel, Dutch nagel, German Nagel, Danish negl, Swedish nagel, Finnish naula (“nail”), Estonian nael (“nail”), (compare Irish ionga, Latin unguis, Albanian nyell (“ankle, hard part of a limb”), Lithuanian nagas, Russian нога́ (nogá, “foot, leg”), но́готь (nógotʹ, “nail”), Ancient Greek ὄνυξ (ónux), Persian ناخن (nâxon), Sanskrit नख (nakhá).

Sentences

Hold the hammer near the end to drive the nail .