tailing

noun

tail·​ing ˈtā-liŋ How to pronounce tailing (audio)
1
: residue separated in the preparation of various products (such as grain or ores)
usually used in plural
2
: the part of a projecting stone or brick inserted in a wall

Examples of tailing in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Nina Luxenberg, a Tucson doctor, said digging massive pits and piling tailings in the mountains will ruin their appeal to both tourists and residents who seek the area out for recreation and birdwatching. Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 7 Mar. 2024 Also, foundations for homes were built with mine tailings, which exposed people to toxic levels of mercury and other toxic substances. The Arizona Republic, 29 Feb. 2024 The storage of a substantial quantity of tailings as backfill underground also reduces surface tailings storage, again helping to minimize the environmental impact. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Feb. 2024 Further, the crystals, says Mary, would be shipped out of state in large chunks for processing, so there would be no chemical ponds or tailings. Time, 17 July 2023 Footage shows a similar Odyssey tailing the Wali’s Tesla out of the Little India commercial complex. Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 29 Dec. 2023 Led by the Church of England’s Pension Board, the group includes mining company Newmont , Dutch bank ING, and the Brumadinho community in Brazil, which was heavily affected by the Vale tailings dam disaster in 2019. Yusuf Khan, WSJ, 23 Nov. 2023 There can be a lot of range to these campsites, from better facilities than even a national park has to offer to nothing more than a flat piece of ground next to some old mining tailings. Laura Lancaster, Outdoor Life, 19 Oct. 2023 That was a sticking point in court when Hudbay Minerals sought to open its Rosemont Mine and dump the tailings on nearby Forest Service land. Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 8 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tailing.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1764, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tailing was in 1764

Dictionary Entries Near tailing

Cite this Entry

“Tailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tailing. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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