Main Entry: ¹en·tail

Pronunciation: \in-ˈtāl, en-\

Function: transitive verb

Etymology: Middle English entailen, entaillen, from ¹en- + taile, taille limitation — more at tail

Date: 14th century

1 : to restrict (property) by limiting the inheritance to the owner's lineal descendants or to a particular class thereof
2 a : to confer, assign, or transmit as if by entail : fasten <entailed on them indelible disgrace — Robert Browning> b : to fix (a person) permanently in some condition or status <entail him and his heirs unto the crown — Shakespeare>
3 : to impose, involve, or imply as a necessary accompaniment or result <the project will entail considerable expense>

— en·tail·er \-ˈtā-lər\ noun

— en·tail·ment \-ˈtāl-mənt\ noun