tailgate — The hinged flap at the back of a truck or station wagon that can be lowered horizontally
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: The hinged flap at the back of a truck or station wagon that can be lowered horizontally
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈteɪlɡeɪt/
Example Sentences
- My dad's old pickup truck had a rusty tailgate that squeaked every time we opened it.
- Stop tailgating me! There's nowhere for me to go in this traffic jam.
- Our tailgating party was so epic that we forgot to go to the actual game.
tailgate
NOUN[/ˈteɪlɡeɪt/]
The hinged flap at the back of a truck or station wagon that can be lowered horizontally
Truck's hinged rear flap lowered
From the pale jail gate to the truck's tailgate!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
A compound word that emerged in the 1940s, combining 'tail' (the rear of a vehicle) and 'gate' (a hinged or removable panel). Originally denoting the hinged rear panel of a truck, the term evolved in the 1960s to describe the act of driving closely behind another vehicle, and by the 1980s acquired the meaning of a parking lot social gathering, typically involving food and drinks.
Breakdown
tail (rear part of a vehicle) + gate (hinged panel or opening). The compound originally referred to the truck's rear access panel, with semantic extension to the driving behavior and social activity based on the location and accessibility of the truck bed.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My dad's old pickup truck had a rusty tailgate that squeaked every time we opened it.”
“Stop tailgating me! There's nowhere for me to go in this traffic jam.”
“Our tailgating party was so epic that we forgot to go to the actual game.”
“The police officer warned him about tailgating after he rear-ended the car in front.”
“She turned her SUV's tailgate into a mobile office, complete with a laptop and coffee maker.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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