nail
Noun:
- A thin, pointed piece of metal: A small, slender object, typically with a sharp point and a flat head, used for fastening things together by being hammered into wood or other materials.
- The hard covering on the upper surface of the tip of a finger or toe: The keratinous plate that protects the end of a digit in humans and many other primates.
- A former unit of length: A historical unit of measurement for cloth, equal to one-sixteenth of a yard (approximately 5.7 cm or 2.25 inches).
Verb:
- To fasten with a nail: To attach something to another surface using nails.
- To locate or identify precisely: To find, define, or describe something with exact accuracy.
- To succeed perfectly or easily: To accomplish something with great skill or without difficulty.
- To hit or strike forcefully: To deliver a powerful blow.
- To arrest or capture: To take someone into custody.
Noun:
- I need a hammer and a nail to fix this loose board.
- She painted her fingernails a bright red.
- In the 16th century, cloth was measured in nails.
Verb:
- He will nail the picture frame to the wall.
- The detective finally nailed the suspect's location.
- She absolutely nailed her presentation; the audience loved it.
- The batter nailed the ball for a home run.
- The police nailed the criminals as they left the bank.
"to nail down": To define, finalize, or secure something precisely.
- We need to nail down the details of the contract.
- He nailed down first place in the competition.
"to nail someone to the wall" (idiomatic): To punish or criticize someone severely.
- The boss will nail him to the wall for missing the deadline.
"to nail one's colors to the mast" (idiomatic): To declare one's beliefs or loyalties openly and firmly, especially in a challenging situation.
- By publicly supporting the unpopular policy, she nailed her colors to the mast.
Nail-biting (adj): Causing great tension or anxiety.
- The final match was a nail-biting experience.
Nail file (n): A small tool with a rough surface for shaping fingernails and toenails.
- Nail polish (n): A colored lacquer applied to fingernails or toenails.
- Noun (metal): Spike, tack, brad.
- Noun (finger/toe): Unguis (technical).
- Verb (fasten): Fasten, secure, fix.
- Verb (identify): Pinpoint, identify, zero in on.
- Verb (succeed): Ace, master, pull off.
Nail down: To secure or finalize something; to understand something completely.
- Let's try to nail down a date for the meeting.
- I can't quite nail down what's different about his story.
Nail up: To fasten something securely, often to close it.
- They nailed up the door to the old shed.
Hit the nail on the head: To be exactly right about something.
- You hit the nail on the head with your analysis of the problem.
A nail in the coffin: An action or event that causes the failure or end of something.
- Losing that major client was the final nail in the coffin for the business.
Hard as nails: Very tough, strong, or unsentimental.
- After years in the military, he was as hard as nails.
On the nail: Immediately, without delay (often regarding payment).
- He always pays his bills on the nail.
- a former unit of length for cloth equal to 1/16 of a yard
- a thin pointed piece of metal that is hammered into materials as a fastener
- horny plate covering and protecting part of the dorsal surface of the digits
- complete a pass
- locate exactly
- can you pinpoint the position of the enemy?
- The chemists could not nail the identity of the chromosome
- succeed at easily
- She sailed through her exams
- You will pass with flying colors
- She nailed her astrophysics course
- succeed in obtaining a position
- He nailed down a spot at Harvard
- hit hard
- He smashed a 3-run homer
- take into custody
- the police nabbed the suspected criminals
- attach something somewhere by means of nails
- nail the board onto the wall