nail

noun \ ˈnāl \

|Updated on: 7 Aug 2018

Examples: nail in a Sentence

Definition of nail

1 a : a horny sheath protecting the upper end of each finger and toe of humans and most other primates

b : a structure (such as a claw) that terminates a digit and corresponds to a nail

2 : a slender usually pointed and headed fastener designed to be pounded in

See nail defined for English-language learners

See nail defined for kids

Examples of nail in a Sentence

a hammer and some nails
I get my nails done at the beauty salon every other week.
a pair of nail clippers

Recent Examples of nail from the Web

Multiple polls have shown the Scott-Nelson race is a nail biter, and Hispanic voters are a significant voting bloc in Florida.

— anthony man, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Rick Scott leads Bill Nelson in poll of South Florida Hispanic voters," 12 July 2018
DePauw won 37-34 in 2016, while the Little Giants reclaimed the Bell with a 22-21 nail-biter last season.

— matthew glenesk, Indianapolis Star, "Ranking Indiana's top 50 college football games in 2018," 11 July 2018
Those interests expressed themselves in the recent mayoral election, where pro-development, pro-techie London Breed, a favorite among the tech Outer Party, narrowly defeated two mutually endorsing candidates in an electoral nail-biter.

— antonio garcía martínez, WIRED, "How Silicon Valley Fuels an Informal Caste System," 9 July 2018
In another fun and very competitive contest, the Fourth Grade Bombers versus the principal and his staff annual basketball game was a nail biter to the end.

— chris folks, Laurel Leader, "Fifth graders move on in elementary school celebration [West Laurel]," 28 June 2018
In this op-ed, beauty features editor Sarah Wu, hairstylist Jen Atkin, and nail artist Whitney Gibson weigh in on the Trump administration's zero-tolerance immigration policy and beauty's role in supporting diversity.

— sarah wu, Teen Vogue, "Trump's "Zero Tolerance" Policy Goes Against the Beauty Industry's Promise of Inclusivity," 21 June 2018
And adding to the hype on the red carpet, the singer debuted a bedazzled, cold-hard cash manicure by her nail artist Tom Bachik.

— lauren valenti, Vogue, "Jennifer Lopez’s Next-Level “Dinero” Manicure Is Worth a Double Take at the Billboard Music Awards," 21 May 2018
Elle Gerstein, Lively's nail artist of 15 years, explains that the sweet thematic tribute to Reynolds was all the actress' idea.

— samantha sasso, refinery29.com, "The Unique Way Blake Lively Supported Ryan Reynolds For Deadpool 2," 15 May 2018
Lili Reinhart Though Reinhart didn't share an update herself, her nail artist Steph Stone was kind enough to show off her work.

— stacey leasca, Glamour, "Celebrities Are Prepping For the 2018 Met Gala With Pizza, Champagne, and Sheet Masks," 7 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'nail.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of nail

Middle English, from Old English nægl; akin to Old High German nagal nail, fingernail, Latin unguis fingernail, toenail, claw, Greek onyx

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Other Hardware Terms

adze, auger, awl, chock, ferrule, punch, tang

nail

verb

Definition of nail

transitive verb

1 : to fasten with or as if with a nail

2 : to fix in steady attention

nailed his eye on the crack

3 a : catch, trap

b : to expose usually so as to discredit

c : to arrest or punish for an offense

4 a : to hit or strike in a forceful manner : whack 1a

nailed the ball

nailed him on the head with a rock

b : to put out (a runner) in baseball

5 : to perform or complete perfectly or impressively

nailed a jump shot

6 : to gain or win decisively —often used with down

nail down their consent

7 : to settle, establish, or represent clearly and unmistakably —often used with down

8 usually vulgar : to copulate with

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nailer

noun

See nail defined for English-language learners

Examples of nail in a Sentence

Nail the picture to the wall.
All the doors were nailed shut.
He got nailed by his parents while trying to sneak out of the house.
He got nailed for not paying his taxes.
The FBI has nailed the hackers.

Recent Examples of nail from the Web

But so was the dialogue, and this is where Cerda really nails it.

— nina metz, chicagotribune.com, "Campy 'Golden Girls' spoof misses the mark," 20 June 2017
Marist coach Colleen Biebel also sent Garofalo, who was nailed at home on a perfect relay throw from Barrington shortstop Julia Kozar.

— tony baranek, Daily Southtown, "Angela Zedak, Marist look ahead after losing in Class 4A third-place game," 10 June 2017
And making sure Johnson nailed all those backing vocals.

— matt wake, AL.com, "Aerosmith's secret weapon: Alabama native on tour with rock legends," 9 June 2017
Some houses had bathtubs, mirrors, furniture, crosses nailed to the wall.

— Washington Post, "Blighted Baltimore homes are razed, along with some memories," 5 June 2017
By nailing down Chance as the festival’s finale, before even his star-making turn at this year’s Grammy Awards, Sasquatch! grabbed one of this year’s marquee live acts for their youthful audience.

— charles r. cross, The Seattle Times, "In an area bloated with festivals, Sasquatch! still stands out," 24 May 2017
Why does Apple nail what channel the Cavs game is on but Google does not?

— alexis c. madrigal, The Atlantic, "20 Questions With Google's Assistant and Apple's Siri," 18 May 2017
Finally, in 2011, Shell and Eni paid the government $1.3 billion, including about $200 million as a signature bonus -- a onetime fee charged by some oil-producing nations -- to nail down the contract once and for all.

— chiara albanese, Bloomberg.com, "How Shell, Eni Got Enmeshed in $1 Billion Scandal: QuickTake Q&A," 9 May 2017
How could anyone nail both the keys and the rhythms with perfect accuracy?

— david pogue, Scientific American, "Should Artists Reveal How Much They Let Technology Make Creative Choices?," 3 July 2017

nail Synonyms

Phrases

take hold (of);

Other Building Terms

batten, cistern, hearth, lath, transom, wainscot

NAIL Defined for English Language Learners

nail

noun

Definition of nail for English Language Learners

: a long, thin piece of metal that is sharp at one end and flat at the other end and that is used chiefly to attach things to wood
: the hard covering at the end of a finger or toe : a fingernail or toenail

nail

verb

Definition of nail for English Language Learners

: to attach (something) with a nail
: to catch (someone) doing something illegal or wrong
: to arrest or punish (someone) for doing something that is illegal or wrong

NAIL Defined for Kids

nail

noun \ ˈnāl \

Definition of nail for Students

1 : a tough covering protecting the upper end of each finger and toe

2 : a slender pointed piece of metal driven into or through something for fastening

nail

verb

Definition of nail for Students

nailed; nailing

: to fasten with or as if with a nail

Medical Dictionary

nail

noun \ ˈnā(ə)l \

medical Definition of nail

1 : a horny sheath of thickened and condensed epithelial stratum lucidum that grows out from a vascular matrix of dermis and protects the upper surface of the end of each finger and toe of humans and most other primates and that is strictly homologous with the hoof or claw of other mammals from which it differs chiefly in shape and size — called also nail plate

2 : a structure (as a claw) that terminates a digit and corresponds to a nail

3 : a rod (as of metal) used to fix the parts of a broken bone in normal relation