| Noun | 1. | nail - horny plate covering and protecting part of the dorsal surface of the digitsdactyl, digit - a finger or toe in human beings or corresponding part in other vertebrates matrix - the formative tissue at the base of a nail toenail - the nail at the end of a toe | |
| 2. | nail - a thin pointed piece of metal that is hammered into materials as a fastenerclinch - the flattened part of a nail or bolt or rivet clout nail, clout - a short nail with a flat head; used to attach sheet metal to wood doornail - a nail with a large head; formerly used to decorate doors head - a projection out from one end; "the head of the nail", "a pinhead is the head of a pin" hobnail - a short nail with a thick head; used to protect the soles of boots nailhead - flattened boss on the end of nail opposite to the point shank, stem - cylinder forming a long narrow part of something spike - a long metal nail staple - a short U-shaped wire nail for securing cables tack - a short nail with a sharp point and a large head | |
| 3. | nail - a former unit of length for cloth equal to 1/16 of a yard | |
| Verb | 1. | nail - attach something somewhere by means of nails; "nail the board onto the wall" | |
| 2. | nail - take into custody; "the police nabbed the suspected criminals"clutch, prehend, seize - take hold of; grab; "The salesclerk quickly seized the money on the counter"; "She clutched her purse"; "The mother seized her child by the arm"; "Birds of prey often seize small mammals" | |
| 3. | nail - hit hard; "He smashed a 3-run homer"hit - deal a blow to, either with the hand or with an instrument; "He hit her hard in the face" | |
| 4. | nail - succeed in obtaining a position; "He nailed down a spot at Harvard" | |
| 5. | nail - succeed at easily; "She sailed through her exams"; "You will pass with flying colors"; "She nailed her astrophysics course"make it, pass - go successfully through a test or a selection process; "She passed the new Jersey Bar Exam and can practice law now" | |
| 6. | nail - locate exactly; "can you pinpoint the position of the enemy?"; "The chemists could not nail the identity of the chromosome"locate, turn up - discover the location of; determine the place of; find by searching or examining; "Can you locate your cousins in the Midwest?"; "My search turned up nothing" | |
| 7. | nail - complete a passfootball, football game - any of various games played with a ball (round or oval) in which two teams try to kick or carry or propel the ball into each other's goal play - participate in games or sport; "We played hockey all afternoon"; "play cards"; "Pele played for the Brazilian teams in many important matches" | |