tail-gate

A worker opens the tail-gate of a storm drain.

Definition

1. Noun:

   • A hinged or removable panel at the back of a vehicle: "tail-gate" refers to the door or board at the rear of a truck, SUV, or station wagon that can be lowered or removed for loading and unloading cargo.
   • A social event held in a parking lot: In informal usage, "tail-gate" can also mean a party or gathering, typically before a sports event, where food and drinks are served from the back of a vehicle.

2. Verb:

   • To drive too closely behind another vehicle: "to tail-gate" means to follow a vehicle too closely, often dangerously, with insufficient stopping distance.
   • To attend a pre-event party from a vehicle: "to tail-gate" can also mean to participate in a social gathering in a parking lot, usually before a concert or game, using the back of a vehicle as a base.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • He lowered the tail-gate to load the furniture into the truck. (The back panel of the truck was opened for loading.)
  • We had a great tail-gate before the football game. (A pre-game party in the parking lot.)

• Verb:

  • The driver behind me was tail-gating dangerously on the highway. (Following too closely.)
  • Fans love to tail-gate before the match starts. (To hold a party from a vehicle.)

Advanced Usage

• "Tail-gate party": a specific term for a social event held in a parking lot, often with barbecues and coolers.

  • The tail-gate party lasted for hours before the concert. (The pre-event gathering.)

• "Tail-gating behavior": refers to aggressive driving habits where a driver follows another vehicle too closely.

  • Tail-gating behavior is a common cause of rear-end collisions. (Dangerous driving practice.)

Variants and Related Words

• Tail-gater (n): a person who tail-gates (drives too closely).

  • The tail-gater was honking his horn impatiently. (A driver following too closely.)

• Tail-gating (n/adj): the act or practice of driving too closely; also the activity of holding a pre-event party.

  • Tail-gating is illegal on most highways. (The act of driving too closely.)
  • Tail-gating is a popular tradition at college sports events. (The party activity.)

Synonyms

• Close-following: driving immediately behind another vehicle (verb sense).
• Back door: the rear entrance of a vehicle (noun sense, less specific).
• Pre-game party: a social event held before a sports match (noun sense, informal).

Phrasal Verbs

• Tail-gate off: to use a tail-gate as a base for a party or activity.

  • They tail-gated off the back of their pickup truck. (They used the truck's tail-gate for a party.)

• Tail-gate along: to follow a vehicle closely while driving.

  • The motorcycle tail-gated along the car for several miles. (Followed closely.)

Related Idioms

• Ride someone's tail: to follow a vehicle very closely; synonymous with tail-gating.

  • The sports car was riding my tail on the freeway. (Driving dangerously close.)

• Tail-gate culture: the social tradition of gathering in parking lots before events.

  • Tail-gate culture is especially strong in the southern United States. (The custom of pre-event parties.)