bobtail
/'bɔbteil/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- A short or shortened tail of certain animals: A tail that is naturally short or has been cut short, often seen in specific breeds of dogs, cats, or horses.
- An animal with such a tail: An animal, especially a dog or horse, that has a bobtail.
Adjective:
- Having a short or shortened tail: Describing an animal whose tail is naturally short or has been docked.
Examples
Noun (Tail):
- The Old English Sheepdog is known for its distinctive bobtail.
- The practice of creating a bobtail on certain dog breeds is controversial.
Noun (Animal):
- She owns a friendly bobtail from the local shelter.
- The rancher prefers bobtails for herding sheep.
Adjective:
- They bought a bobtail mare for their farm.
- The bobtail cat sat on the windowsill.
Advanced Usage
- "To bobtail" (verb, rare/technical): To dock or cut short the tail of an animal.
- Historically, some owners would bobtail puppies a few days after birth.
Variants and Related Words
- Bobtailed (adjective): An alternative form meaning the same as 'bobtail' (adjective).
- A bobtailed truck is one with no trailer attached. (Note: This is a specific, compound usage in trucking, listed here as a related term.)
Synonyms
- Docked tail: A tail that has been shortened by cutting.
- Stumpy tail: A short, thick tail (often informal).
Antonyms
- Full tail: A tail of normal, uncut length.
- Long tail: A tail that is not shortened.
Related Phrases/Idioms
- "Bobtail trust" (legal/finance): A specific, compound term for a type of investment trust. This is a specialized, unrelated usage of the word element.
- "To go bobtail" (historical): An old phrase meaning to dismiss servants or to reduce something to a simpler state. This is an archaic idiom.
Adjective
- having a short or shortened tail
- bobtail mare
Noun
- large sheepdog with a profuse shaggy bluish-grey-and-white coat and short tail; believed to trace back to the Roman occupation of Britain
- a short or shortened tail of certain animals