nail

nail

left to right: common, finishing, ring, and roofing nails

nail

 (nāl)

n.

1. A slim, pointed piece of metal hammered into material as a fastener.

2.

a. A fingernail or toenail.

b. A claw or talon.

3. Something resembling a nail in shape, sharpness, or use.

4. A measure of length formerly used for cloth, equal to ¹/₁₆ yard (5.7 centimeters).

tr.v. nailed, nail·ing, nails

1. To fasten, join, or attach with or as if with a nail.

2. To cover, enclose, or shut by fastening with nails: nail up a window.

3. To keep fixed, motionless, or intent: Fear nailed me to my seat.

4. Slang

a. To stop and seize; catch: Police nailed the suspect.

b. To detect and expose: nailed the senator in a lie; nail corruption before it gets out of control.

5. Slang

a. To strike or bring down: nail a bird in flight; nail a running back.

b. To perform successfully or have noteworthy success in: nailed the dive; nailed the exam.

6. Baseball To put out (a base runner).

7. Vulgar Slang To have sexual intercourse with.

Phrasal Verb:

nail down

1. To discover or establish conclusively: nailed down the story by checking all the facts.

2. To win: nailed down another victory in the golf tournament.

3. To specify or fix: We were finally able to nail down a meeting time.

---

[Middle English, from Old English nægl, fingernail, toenail; see nogh- in Indo-European roots.]

---

nail′er n.

nail

(neɪl)

n

1. (Tools) a fastening device usually made from round or oval wire, having a point at one end and a head at the other

2. anything resembling such a fastening device, esp in function or shape

3. (Anatomy) the horny plate covering part of the dorsal surface of the fingers or toes. See fingernail, toenail

4. (Zoology) the claw of a mammal, bird, or reptile

5. slang a hypodermic needle, used for injecting drugs

6. (Units) a unit of length, formerly used for measuring cloth, equal to two and a quarter inches

7. a nail in one's coffin an experience or event that tends to shorten life or hasten the end of something

8. bite one's nails

a. to chew off the ends of one's fingernails

b. to be worried or apprehensive

9. hard as nails

a. in tough physical condition

b. without sentiment or feelings

10. hit the nail on the head to do or say something correct or telling

11. on the nail (of payments) at once (esp in the phrase pay on the nail)

vb (tr)

12. to attach with or as if with nails

13. informal to arrest or seize

14. informal to hit or bring down, as with a shot: I nailed the sniper.

15. informal to expose or detect (a lie or liar)

16. to fix or focus (one's eyes, attention, etc) on an object

17. to stud with nails

[Old English nǣgl; related to Old High German nagal nail, Latin unguis fingernail, claw, Greek onux]

ˈnailer n

ˈnail-less adj

nail

(neɪl)
n.

1. a slender, rod-shaped piece of metal, typically having a pointed tip and a flattened head, made to be hammered into wood or other material as a fastener or support.

2. a thin, horny plate, consisting of modified epidermis, growing on the upper side of the end of a finger or toe.

3. a former measure of length for cloth, equal to 2¼ in. (6.4 cm).

v.t.

4. to fasten with a nail or nails.

5. to enclose or shut by nailing (often fol. by up).

6. to keep firmly in one place or position.

7. Informal. to catch or seize.

8. to accomplish perfectly: the only gymnast to nail the dismount.

9. nail down, to make final; settle once and for all.

Idioms:

1. hit the nail on the head, to say or do exactly the right thing.

2. nail in someone's or 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.

[before 900; (n.) Middle English nayl(l), Old English nægl, c. Old Frisian neil, Old Saxon, Old High German nagal (German Nagel), Old Norse nagl fingernail; akin to Old Irish ingen, Latin unguis, Greek ónyx]

nail

Past participle: nailed
Gerund: nailing

Imperative

nail

nail

Nail

A linear measurement used for cloth. It equals two and a quarter inches.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	nail - horny plate covering and protecting part of the dorsal surface of the digits integumentary system - the skin and its appendages dactyl, digit - a finger or toe in human beings or corresponding body part in other vertebrates horny structure, unguis - any rigid body structure composed primarily of keratin half-moon, lunula, lunule - the crescent-shaped area at the base of the human fingernail matrix - the formative tissue at the base of a nail fingernail - the nail at the end of a finger toenail - the nail at the end of a toe
	2.	nail - a thin pointed piece of metal that is hammered into materials as a fastener brad - a small nail clinch - the flattened part of a nail or bolt or rivet clout nail, clout - a short nail with a flat head; used to attach sheet metal to wood doornail - a nail with a large head; formerly used to decorate doors eightpenny nail - a nail 2.5 inches long fastening, holdfast, fastener, fixing - restraint that attaches to something or holds something in place fourpenny nail - a nail 1.5 inches long head - a projection out from one end; "the head of the nail", "a pinhead is the head of a pin" hobnail - a short nail with a thick head; used to protect the soles of boots nailhead - flattened boss on the end of nail opposite to the point shank, stem - cylinder forming a long narrow part of something sixpenny nail - a nail 2 inches long spike - a large stout nail; "they used spikes to fasten the rails to a railroad tie" staple - a short U-shaped wire nail for securing cables stub nail - a short thick nail tack - a short nail with a sharp point and a large head tenpenny nail - a nail 3 inches long
	3.	nail - a former unit of length for cloth equal to 1/16 of a yard linear measure, linear unit - a unit of measurement of length
Verb	1.	nail - attach something somewhere by means of nails; "nail the board onto the wall" attach - cause to be attached narrow down, pin down, peg down, nail down, narrow, specify - define clearly; "I cannot narrow down the rules for this game"
	2.	nail - take into custody; "the police nabbed the suspected criminals" arrest, collar, cop, nab, apprehend, pick up clutch, prehend, seize - take hold of; grab; "The sales clerk quickly seized the money on the counter"; "She clutched her purse"; "The mother seized her child by the arm"; "Birds of prey often seize small mammals"
	3.	nail - hit hard; "He smashed a 3-run homer" smash, blast, boom hit - deal a blow to, either with the hand or with an instrument; "He hit her hard in the face"
	4.	nail - succeed in obtaining a position; "He nailed down a spot at Harvard" nail down, peg bring home the bacon, deliver the goods, succeed, win, come through - attain success or reach a desired goal; "The enterprise succeeded"; "We succeeded in getting tickets to the show"; "she struggled to overcome her handicap and won"
	5.	nail - succeed at easily; "She sailed through her exams"; "You will pass with flying colors"; "She nailed her astrophysics course" ace, breeze through, pass with flying colors, sail through, sweep through make it, pass - go successfully through a test or a selection process; "She passed the new Jersey Bar Exam and can practice law now"
	6.	nail - locate exactly; "can you pinpoint the position of the enemy?"; "The chemists could not nail the identity of the chromosome" pinpoint locate, turn up - discover the location of; determine the place of; find by searching or examining; "Can you locate your cousins in the Midwest?"; "My search turned up nothing"
	7.	nail - complete a pass       complete football, football game - any of various games played with a ball (round or oval) in which two teams try to kick or carry or propel the ball into each other's goal play - participate in games or sport; "We played hockey all afternoon"; "play cards"; "Pele played for the Brazilian teams in many important matches"

nail

noun

1. tack, spike, rivet, hobnail, brad (technical) A mirror hung on a nail above the washstand.

2. fingernail, toenail, talon, thumbnail, claw, unguis (technical) Keep your nails short and your hands clean.

verb

1. fasten, fix, secure, attach, pin, hammer, tack Frank put the first plank down and nailed it in place.

2. catch, arrest, capture, apprehend, lift (slang), trap, nab (informal), snare, ensnare, entrap, feel your collar (slang) The police have been trying to nail him for years.

on the nail immediately, promptly, at once, straight away, without delay, punctually She insisted her lodgers pay her every Friday, on the nail.

Related words
technical name unguis
adjective ungual, ungular

nail

verb

Slang. To gain possession of, especially after a struggle or chase:

capture, catch, get, net, secure, take.

Informal: bag.

Translations

ظُفْرمِسْمارمِسْمَارٌيُسَمِّر، يَدُق بالمِسْمار

hřebíknehetpřibít

neglsømsømmenagle

NagelnagelnFingernagel

νύχικαρφί

ungo

uñaclavoclavarclavetear

nael

ناخن

kynsinaulanaulata

clouongleclouercramponenculer

कीलनाख़ुन

čavaonokatnokti

körömrászegezszegezszög

kuku

nöglnaglinegla

chiodounghiainchiodarepagare sull'unghiacolpire nel segno

爪釘

못손톱

clavusunguis

nagų brūžiklisnagų lakasnagų šepetukasnagų žirklutėspataikyti kaip pirštu į akį

nagspienaglotnagla

nagelspijker

neglspikerspikre

paznokiećgwóźdź

unhapregopegarpregar

unghie

гвоздьноготь

pribiť

žebeljnohtpribiticvek

čavaoeksergvozdklinгвозд

spikspikanagelnaglar

เล็บ

çivitırnakçivilemekmıh

ناخنکیل

móng

指甲钉住钉子

nail

[neɪl]

A. N

1. (Anat) → uña f
to bite one's nails → morderse las uñas

2. (metal) → clavo m
a nail in sb's coffin this is another nail in his coffin → éste es otro paso hacia su destrucción
to hit the nail on the head → dar en el clavo
to pay (cash) on the nail → pagar en el acto, pagar a tocateja (Sp)
see also hard A1

B. VT

1. (= fix with nails) → clavar, sujetar con clavos
to nail two things together → fijar or unir dos cosas con clavos

2. (= catch, get hold of) → agarrar, pillar

3. (= expose) [+ lie] → poner al descubierto; [+ rumour] → demostrar la falsedad de

4. (= define) → definir, precisar

C. CPD nail bomb N → bomba f de metralla
nail clippers NPL → cortauñas m inv
nail enamel (US) N → esmalte m de uñas
nail file N → lima f (para las uñas)
nail polish N → esmalte m de uñas
nail polish remover N → quitaesmalte m
nail scissors NPL → tijeras fpl para las uñas
nail varnish N → esmalte m de uñas
nail varnish remover N → quitaesmalte m

nail down VT + ADV

1. (= secure with nails) → clavar, sujetar con clavos

2. (fig) [+ person] → obligar a concretar
you can't nail him down → es imposible hacerle concretar
we nailed him down to a date → le forzamos a fijar una fecha

nail up VT + ADV (= fix) (on wall) → clavar; (= close) [+ window] → condenar (claveteándole tablas)

nail

[ˈneɪl]

n

(human) → ongle m
Don't bite your nails! → Ne te ronge pas les ongles!

(metal) → clou m
to be as hard as nails → être coriace
to hit the nail on the head → mettre dans le mille

to pay cash on the nail (British) → payer rubis sur l'ongle

vt

[+ object] → clouer
to nail sth to sth → clouer qch à qch
There were signs nailed to the trees all along Bear Creek → Il y avait des pancartes clouées aux arbres d'un bout à l'autre de Bear Creek.
to nail sth on sth → clouer qch sur qch
to be nailed shut → être condamné(e)
The windows were all nailed shut → Les fenêtres étaient toutes condamnées.

[+ person] → coincer
to nail sb for sth [+ crime] → coincer qn pour qch
They managed to nail him for several robberies → Ils ont réussi à le coincer pour plusieurs vols.

nail down

vt sep

(= put one's finger on) → mettre le doigt sur
There's something odd about him but I can't nail it down → Il y a quelque chose de bizarre chez lui mais je n'arrive pas à mettre le doigt dessus.

[+ source, time] → situer
Could you nail down the source of this tension? → Pouvez-vous situer la source de cette tension?

[+ agreement] → arrêter
to nail sb down to sth [+ date, price] → contraindre qn à accepter qch

[+ lid, floorboard] → clouernail-biting [ˈneɪlbaɪtɪŋ] adj [film] → à suspense, haletant(e); [match, finish] → haletant(e)nail bomb n → bombe f à clousnail brush nailbrush [ˈneɪlbrʌʃ] n → brosse f à onglesnail clippers npl → coupe-ongles m invnail file nailfile [ˈneɪlfaɪl] n → lime f à onglesnail polish n → vernis m à onglesnail polish remover n → dissolvant mnail scissors npl → ciseaux mpl à onglesnail varnish n (British) → vernis m à onglesnail varnish remover n → dissolvant m

nail

n

(Anat) → Nagel m

(Tech) → Nagel m; as hard as nails → knallhart (inf), → (unheimlich) hart; (physically) → zäh wie Leder; on the nail (Brit fig inf) → auf der Stelle, sofort; cash on the nail (Brit inf) → Bargeld nt; to hit the nail (right) on the head (fig) → den Nagel auf den Kopf treffen; to drive a nail into somebody’s coffin (fig) to be a nail in somebody’s coffin (fig) → ein Nagel zu jds Sarg sein

vt

(= fix with nails, put nails into) → nageln; to nail something to the floor/door/wall → etw an den Boden/an die Tür/Wand nageln, etw auf dem Boden/an der Tür/Wand festnageln; nail this on here → nageln Sie das hier an or fest; he nailed his opponent to the canvas → er pinnte seinen Gegner auf die Matte (inf)

(fig) person → festnageln; fear nailed him to the spot → er war vor Furcht wie auf der Stelle festgenagelt; they nailed the deal → sie haben den Handel unter Dach und Fach gebracht; to nail a lie → eine Lüge entlarven or entblößen

(inf) to nail somebody → sich (dat) → jdn schnappen (inf); (= charge) → jdn drankriegen (inf)

---

nail

in cpds → Nagel-;

nailbiter

n

→ Nägelkauer(in) m(f)

(inf: = Film) → spannender Film; (= book) → spannendes Buch

nail-biting

n → Nägelkauen nt

adj (inf) suspense → atemlos; match → spannungsgeladen; it’s a nail time for them → sie machen eine spannungsreiche Zeit durch

nailbrush

n → Nagelbürste f

nail clippers

pl → Nagelzwicker m

nailfile

n → Nagelfeile f

nail hardener

n → Nagelhärter m

nail polish

n → Nagellack m

nail polish remover

n → Nagellackentferner m

nail scissors

pl → Nagelschere f

nail varnish

n (Brit) → Nagellack m

nail varnish remover

n → Nagellackentferner m

nail

[neɪl]

1. n

a. (Anat) → unghia
to bite one's nails → mangiarsi le unghie

b. (metal) → chiodo
to hit the nail on the head (fig) → cogliere or colpire nel segno
to pay cash on the nail (Brit) → pagare subito e in contanti, pagare sull'unghia (fam)

2. vt (also) (fig) (fam) (criminal) → inchiodare
to nail the lid on a box → inchiodare il coperchio di una cassa

nail down vt + adv → fissare con chiodi, inchiodare (fig) to nail sb down to a date → costringere qn a una data
to nail sb down to a promise → costringere qn a fare una promessa
to nail sb down to a price → costringere qn ad accettare un prezzo

nail up vt + adv (picture, sign) → fissare con un chiodo; (door) → chiudere con chiodi

nail

(neil) noun

1. a piece of horn-like substance which grows over the ends of the fingers and toes to protect them. I've broken my nail; toe-nails; Don't bite your finger-nails. nael ظُفْر нокът unha nehet der Nagel negl; -negl νύχιuña küüs ناخن kynsi ongleציפורן नाखून nokat köröm kuku nögl unghia つめ 손톱, 발톱 nagas nags kuku nagelneglpaznokieć نوك unha unghie ноготь necht noht nokat nagel เล็บ tırnak 指甲 ніготь; кіготь ناخن móng 指甲

2. a thin pointed piece of metal used to fasten pieces of wood etc together. He hammered a nail into the wall and hung a picture on it. spyker مِسْمار гвоздей prego hřebík nagel søm καρφίclavo nael میخ naula clouמסמר कील čavao szeg paku nagli chiodo くぎ 못 vinis nagla paku spijker spikergwóźdź ميخ prego cui гвоздь klinec žebelj ekser spik ตะปู çivi 釘子 цвях کيل cái đinh 钉子

verb

to fasten with nails. He nailed the picture to the wall. vasspyker يُسَمِّر، يَدُق بالمِسْمار заковавам pregar přibít nageln sømme καρφώνωclavar naelutama میخ کوبیدن naulata clouer לְמַסמֵר कील जड़ना zabiti čavao do kraja, fiksirati (rá)szegez memaku negla inchiodare くぎ付けにする 못으로 고정하다 prikalti pienaglot memakukan (vast)spijkeren spikreprzybić ،چيرته د ننه وهل ميخ ټك وهل pregar a prinde în cuie прибивать pribiť pribiti zakucati spika fast ตอกตะปู çivilemek 釘住 прибивати; забивати لٹکانا đóng đinh 钉住

ˈnail-brush noun

a small brush used for cleaning one's nails. naelborsel فُرْشاةُ الأظافِر четка за нокти escova de unhas kartáček na nehty die Nagelbürste neglebørste βουρτσάκι νυχιών cepillo de uñas küünehari برس kynsiharja brosse à ongles מִברֶשֶת לְצִיפּורנַיִים नाखून साफ करने का ब्रश četkica za nokte körömfekete sikat kuku naglabursti spazzolino da unghie つめブラシ (매니큐어용) 손톱솔 nagų šepetukas nagu suka berus kuku nagelborstelneglebørste szczoteczka do paznokci وړوكۍ برس چۍ پرۍ نوكان پاكيږۍ escova de unhas perie de unghii щёточка для ногтей kefka na nechty ščetka za nohte četkica za čišćenje noktiju nagelborste แปรงขัดเล็บ tırnak fırçası 指甲刷 щіточка для нігтів ناخن برش bàn chải móng tay 指甲刷

ˈnail-file noun

a small instrument with a rough surface, used for smoothing or shaping the edges of one's finger-nails. naelvyl مِبْرَد الأظافِر пиличка за нокти lixa de unhas pilníček na ruce die Nagelfeile neglefil λίμα νυχιώνlima de uñas küüneviil سوهان kynsiviila lime à ongles פְּצִירָה לְצִיפוֹרנַיִים नाखूनों को सही आकार में रखने की वस्तु turpijica za nokte körömreszelő kikir kuku naglaþjöl lima/limetta per (le) unghie つめやすり 손톱 다듬는 줄 nagų brūžiklis nagu vīle pengikir kuku nagelvijlneglefilpilnik do paznokci سوهان lima de unhas pilă de unghii пилочка для ногтей pilník na nechty pilica za nohte turpija za nokte nagelfil ที่ตะไบเล็บ tırnak törpüsü 指甲銼 пилка для нігтів ناخن بنانے کا آلہ cái giũa móng tay 指甲锉

ˈnail-polish, ˈnail-varnish nouns

a substance used to colour and/or varnish one's nails. naelpolitoer تَلْميع الأظافِر лак esmalte de unhas lak na nehty der Nagellack neglelak βερνίκι νυχιώνesmalte de uñas küünelakk صیقل دادن kynsilakka vernis à onglesלק नाखून पालिश lak za nokte körömlakk cat kuku naglalakk smalto マニキュア用の液 매니큐어용 에나멜 nagų lakas nagu laka pengilat kuku nagellakneglelakklakier do paznokci د نوكانو رنگ يا جلا verniz de unhas lac de unghii лак для ногтей lak na nechty lak za nohte lak za nokte nagellack น้ำยาทาเล็บ tırnak cilası 指甲油 лак для нігтів ناخن پالش thuốc đánh móng tay 指甲油

ˈnail-scissors noun plural

scissors for trimming one's nails. naelskêr مِقَص الأظافِر ножичка за нокти tesoura de unhas nůžky na nehty die Nagelschere neglesaks ψαλιδάκι νυχιώνtijeras para las uñas küünekäärid جیز برنده kynsisakset ciseaux à ongles מִספָּרַיִים לְצִיפּוֹרנַיִים नाखून काटने की कैंची škarice za nokte körömolló gunting kuku naglaskæri/-klippur forbicine per le unghie つめ切りばさみ 손톱 가위 nagų žirklutės nagu šķērītes pengetip kuku nagelschaarneglesaksnożyczki do paznokci د نوكانو د اخيستو بياتى tesoura de unhas ножницы для ногтей nožnice na nechty škarjice za nohte makazice za nokte nagelsax กรรไกรเล็กสำหรับตัดเล็บ tırnak makası 指甲剪 ножиці для нігтів ناخن کاٹنے کي قينچي kéo cắt móng tay 指甲剪

hit the nail on the head

to be absolutely accurate (in one's description of something or someone, in an estimate of something etc). slaan die spyker op die kop يَكون دقيقا في وَصْفِه أو فيما يَقول улучвам acertar em cheio uhodit hřebík na hlavičku den Nagel auf den kopf treffen slå hovedet på sømmet πετυχαίνω διάνα dar en el clavo otse naelapead tabama در راس چیزی واقع شدن osua naulan kantaan mettre le doigt dessus קָלַע בּוּל सही-सही बात बताना prisiliti nekoga da se izjasni fején találja a szeget pemberian yang tepat sekali hitta naglann á höfuðið (cogliere nel segno) ぴったり言う 요점(핵심)을 찌르다 pataikyti kaip pirštu į akį trāpīt kā naglai uz galvas tepat sekali de spijker op de kop slaan treffe spikeren på hodet trafić w sedno/dziesiątkę د يو شى په راس كښى واقع كيدل acertar em cheio a pune punctul pe i попасть в точку trafiť klinec po hlavičke zadeti žebljico na glavico biti potpuno precizan träffa huvudet på spiken ถูกต้องที่สุด taşı gediğine koymak, tam yerinde söz söylemek 說到重點，評估精準 попасти в точку بالکل صحيح اندازہ لگانا nói đúng 说得中肯

nail

→ ظُفْر, مِسْمَارٌ hřebík, nehet negl, søm Nagel νύχι uña kynsi, naula clou, ongle čavao, nokti chiodo, unghia 爪, 釘 못, 손톱 nagel, spijker negl paznokieć prego, unha гвоздь, ноготь naglar, spik เล็บ çivi, tırnak móng 指甲

nail

n. uña de los dedos del pie o de las manos;

1.

ingrown ___ → uñero, ___ encarnada;

___ polish → esmalte de las uñas;

___ infection → infección de;

___ scratch → arañazo;

___ biting → comerse la uñas

2. clavo. V.: pin.

nail

n (anat) uña; (carpentry) clavo; ingrown — uña encarnada, uña enterrada (esp. Mex); — clippers cortaúñas m; — file lima de or para uñas; — polish esmalte m de or para uñas; — scissors tijeras de or para uñas