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

the reporter's constant tailing of the candidate resulted in an exclusive scoop
Recent Examples on the Web And even before receiving official greenlights (expected by yearend) Perpetua has spent $17 million on conservation work, including moving 325,000 tons of old mine tailings away from waterways. Christopher Helman, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024 Effective management of solid waste, including slag and tailings, is crucial to mitigating long-term environmental damage. Sahit Muja, Forbes, 19 Sep. 2024 Such natural weathering already occurs in mine tailings, the waste left over from certain mining operations. Fred Krupp, Foreign Affairs, 12 Feb. 2019 In addition to rubble, other waste such as plastic bottles, glass and mine tailings can be used. New Atlas, 30 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for tailing 

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 15 Oct. 2024.

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