nail

noun countable

UK /neɪl/

Word Forms

singular	nail
plural	nails

1
a thin pointed piece of metal that you use to fix one thing to another by hitting it with a hammer
Synonyms and related words
Nuts, bolts, screws and nails
bolt
butterfly nut
dowel
2
the smooth hard part that grows over the ends of your fingers and toes
to cut/file your nails
I’ve told you before not to bite your nails.
Synonyms and related words
General words for limbs and appendages
ankle
appendage
arch

phrases

hard/tough as nails

a nail in the coffin

on the nail

nail

noun countable

US /neɪl/

Word Forms

singular	nail
plural	nails

1
a thin pointed piece of metal that you use to attach one thing to another by hitting it with a hammer
Synonyms and related words
Nuts, bolts, screws and nails
bolt
butterfly nut
dowel
2
the smooth hard part that grows over the ends of your fingers and toes
to cut/file your nails
I’ve told you before not to bite your nails.
Synonyms and related words
General words for limbs and appendages
ankle
appendage
arch

phrases

hard/tough as nails

a nail in the coffin

on the nail

nail

verb transitive

UK /neɪl/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	nail
he/she/it	nails
present participle	nailing
past tense	nailed
past participle	nailed

1
to fix one thing to another with a nail or nails
nail to/across/over/together:
He nailed the ‘No Smoking’ sign to the wall.
Boards had been nailed over the front door.
nail something shut:
The windows are nailed shut.
Synonyms and related words
To fasten or join one thing to another
fasten
fix
attach
2
informalto prove that someone has done something wrong or illegal
They finally nailed Capone for tax evasion.
Synonyms and related words
Judgments, verdicts and official orders
acquit
acquittal
affiliation order
3
mainly Americaninformalto do something in a perfect way, especially in sport
Synonyms and related words
To do something well or better than someone else
excel
distinguish yourself
smash a record
Synonyms and related words
To succeed in doing something
succeed
manage
pull off
4
nail the dismount
in gymnastics, to end a sequence correctlySubmitted from:
United Kingdom on 08/11/2012
Open Dictionary - November2012
5
nail the dismount
to finish something off satisfactorily
I am very fond of Stephen King’s novels, but he regularly fails to nail the dismount.
Submitted from:
United Kingdom on 08/11/2012
Open Dictionary - November2012

phrases

nail a rumour/lie

nail your colours to the mast

phrasal verbs

nail down

nail up

nail

verb transitive

US /neɪl/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	nail
he/she/it	nails
present participle	nailing
past tense	nailed
past participle	nailed

1
to attach one thing to another with a nail or nails
nail to/across/over/together:
He nailed the “No Smoking” sign to the wall.
Boards had been nailed over the front door.
nail something shut:
The windows are nailed shut.
Synonyms and related words
To fasten or join one thing to another
fasten
fix
attach
2
informalto prove that someone has done something wrong or illegal
They finally nailed Capone for tax evasion.
Synonyms and related words
Judgments, verdicts and official orders
acquit
acquittal
affiliation order
3
informalto do something in a perfect way, especially in sport
She nailed her final jump and won the gold medal.
Synonyms and related words
To do something well or better than someone else
excel
distinguish yourself
smash a record
Synonyms and related words
To succeed in doing something
succeed
manage
pull off
4
nail the dismount
in gymnastics, to end a sequence correctlySubmitted from:
United Kingdom on 08/11/2012
Open Dictionary - November2012
5
nail the dismount
to finish something off satisfactorily
I am very fond of Stephen King’s novels, but he regularly fails to nail the dismount.
Submitted from:
United Kingdom on 08/11/2012
Open Dictionary - November2012

phrasal verbs

nail down

nail up

nail ​‌‌

nail ​‌‌

nail ​‌

nail the dismount

nail the dismount

nail ​‌

nail the dismount

nail the dismount

nail

nail

nail

nail