nail — a thin pointed piece of metal with a flat head, used for fastening wood or other materials
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a thin pointed piece of metal with a flat head, used for fastening wood or other materials
Pronunciation (IPA): /neɪl/
Example Sentences
- My cat's nails are so sharp, they turned my sofa into modern art!
- She nailed the presentation and got promoted the next week.
- I tried to nail the picture to the wall but ended up with five holes and one crooked frame.
nail
NOUN[/neɪl/]
a thin pointed piece of metal with a flat head, used for fastening wood or other materials
Fastening wood with a nail
Hammer the nail for the mail, while the sail catches the gale!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word derives from Old English 'nægl', which shares a common Germanic root with related languages. Notably, both the fingernail and metal fastener meanings stem from the same origin, reflecting the shared characteristic of being pointed and hard structures.
Breakdown
Old English 'nægl' evolved directly into Modern English 'nail' without significant morphological decomposition. The word is a simple noun with Germanic roots, where the core form itself encompasses the meaning of a sharp, pointed object.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My cat's nails are so sharp, they turned my sofa into modern art!”
“She nailed the presentation and got promoted the next week.”
“I tried to nail the picture to the wall but ended up with five holes and one crooked frame.”
“The detective nailed the suspect with solid evidence.”
📚Related Words
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