tail
the posterior part of the body of a vertebrate especially when elongated and extending beyond the trunk or main part of the body
How often you will meet it
Rank 2,081 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 8,557 times across 175,113 chapters — 0.004% of every word in the library.
What it means
noun
- the posterior part of the body of a vertebrate especially when elongated and extending beyond the trunk or main part of the body
- the time of the last part of something also: fag end, tail end the fag end of this crisis-ridden centurythe tail of the storm
- any projection that resembles the tail of an animal also: tail end
- the fleshy part of the human body that you sit on also: buttocks, nates, arse, butt, backside, bum he deserves a good kick in the buttare you going to sit on your fanny and do nothing?
- a spy employed to follow someone and report their movements also: shadow, shadower
- (usually plural) the reverse side of a coin that does not bear the representation of a person's head
tail in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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His tail curled upward until it ached.
Where the Blue Begins · Christopher Morley · Chapter 1
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He was much surprised to see Uncle Wiggily skimming along on the tail of a sky-cracker.
Uncle Wiggily's Travels · Howard Roger Garis · Chapter 1
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Then take down the sword gently, and quickly give the monster a blow on his tail with it.
The Yellow Fairy Book: The Grateful Beasts · World Traditions (Celtic, Norse, Asian & Persian) · Chapter 1
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For the offence she was sentenced to be "whipped at a cart's tail up and down the Town, with twenty lashes."
Pennsylvania Pilgrim, and other poems Part 6 From — Volume I · John Greenleaf Whittier · Chapter 1
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At least, so thought Lieutenant Victor Broussard, watching her out of the tail of his eye, as he passed some distance away.
Betty at Fort Blizzard · Molly Elliot Seawell · Chapter 1