fishtail

verb

fish·​tail ˈfish-ˌtāl How to pronounce fishtail (audio)
fishtailed; fishtailing; fishtails

intransitive verb

1
: to swing the tail of an airplane from side to side to reduce speed especially when landing
2
: to have the rear end slide from side to side out of control while moving forward
the car fishtailed on the icy curve

Examples of fishtail in a Sentence

The car fishtailed on the icy curve.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Some left-handers’ throws can tend to fishtail at the end of deeper balls, though velocity helps dull the difference. Jourdan Rodrigue, The Athletic, 9 Aug. 2024 Nevis Creek, a noisy, shallow stream with occasional deep pools full of lazy Dolly Varden trout, fishtailed back and forth from wall to wall of its canyon. Jack O’Connor, Outdoor Life, 4 Sep. 2024 And Kerry grew tired of manipulative and erratic behavior, and lies that fishtailed from the banal to the bizarre. Sean Williams, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2023 But, as Fox has fishtailed around trying to find a way to accommodate Trump while asserting its own primacy, some might say that, whoever’s been in charge, it’s felt like a post-Rupert network for years. Daniel D'addario, Variety, 21 Sep. 2023 See all Example Sentences for fishtail 

Word History

First Known Use

1927, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fishtail was in 1927

Dictionary Entries Near fishtail

Cite this Entry

“Fishtail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fishtail. Accessed 13 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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