Definition

1. Noun:
   • The part of a shirt that extends below the waist, typically at the back: The fabric forming the bottom edge or tail of a shirt, often designed to be tucked into trousers or a skirt.
   • A brief addition or supplement at the end of a newspaper article: A short, often unrelated note or piece of information appended to the conclusion of a news story.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Clothing):

  • He tucked his shirttail into his pants.
  • The strong wind blew his shirttail out.

• Noun (Journalism):

  • The article ended with a shirttail about the author's upcoming book.
  • A small shirttail noted a correction to the main story.

Advanced Usage

• "shirttail relative": A very distant relative.

  • He's just a shirttail cousin, so we're not very close.

• "on someone's shirttail": Relying on or benefiting from someone else's success or efforts.

  • The young politician rose to fame on the shirttail of his mentor.

Variants and Related Words

• Shirttailing (noun, informal): The act of following closely behind or benefiting from another.
  • His success was a classic case of shirttailing.

Synonyms

• Tail (for clothing): The lower, loose part of a garment.
• Addendum (for journalism): An item of additional material added at the end of a book or document.
• Postscript: An additional remark at the end of a letter.

Related Phrases

• To be/hang on by the shirttails: To have a very weak or tenuous connection or hold on something.
  • His argument was hanging on by the shirttails.

Related Idioms

• "Not worth a shirttail": Completely worthless or of no value.
  • That old promise isn't worth a shirttail now.

Noun

1. fabric forming the tail of a shirt
2. a brief addendum at the end of a newspaper article