Definition of tailgate
1 : a board or gate at the rear of a vehicle that can be removed or let down (as for loading)
2 [from the custom of seating trombonists at the rear of trucks carrying jazz bands in parades] : a jazz trombone style marked by much use of slides to and from long sustained tones
3 US : tailgate party Nowadays, tailgates have evolved into mobile feasts: face-to-face social networks where complete strangers bond over food and drink, and everyone is eager to share. — Greg Ferro
Indulge Your Inner Word Nerd
1854
First Known Use of tailgate
1854
tailgate
Definition of tailgate
tailgated
;tailgating
intransitive verb
1 : to drive dangerously close behind another vehicle
2 US : to have a tailgate party
transitive verb
: to drive dangerously close behind
tailgater
nounExamples of tailgate in a Sentence
He hit the car in front of him because he was tailgating.
They started tailgating at 10 o'clock.
1949
First Known Use of tailgate
1949
1962
First Known Use of tailgate
1962
TAILGATE Defined for English Language Learners
tailgate
playDefinition of tailgate for English Language Learners
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: a door at the back of a vehicle (such as a station wagon or pickup truck) that opens downward and that can be lowered or removed to make it easier to load things into the vehicle
tailgate
Definition of tailgate for English Language Learners
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: to drive too closely behind another vehicle
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: to have a tailgate party
TAILGATE Defined for Kids
tailgate
playDefinition of tailgate for Students
: a panel at the back end of a vehicle that can be lowered for loading and unloading
Learn More about tailgate
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See words that rhyme with tailgate Spanish Central: Translation of tailgate Nglish: Translation of tailgate for Spanish speakers
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