nail

Universal Words noun, verb noun 1 a thin hard layer covering the outer tip of the fingers or toes: Stop biting your nails! * nail clippers seealsoFINGERNAIL, TOENAIL 2 a small thin pointed piece of metal with a flat head, used for hanging things on a wall or for joining pieces of wood together: She hammered the nail in. compareSCREW(1), TACK(3) IDIOMS a nail in sb's / sth's coffin something that makes the end or failure of an organization, sb's plans, etc. more likely to happen: This latest defeat is another nail in the government's coffin. on the nail (informal) (of payment) without delay: They're good customers who always pay on the nail. moreatFIGHTv., HARDadj., HITv., TOUGHadj. verb [VN] 1 to fasten sth to sth with a nail or nails: I nailed the sign to a tree. * Wooden boards had been nailed across the windows. * The shutters had been nailed shut. 2 (informal) to catch sb and prove they are guilty of a crime or of doing sth bad: The police haven't been able to nail the killer. 3 (informal) to prove that sth is not true: We must nail this lie. IDIOMS nail your colours to the mast (especially BrE) to say publicly and firmly what you believe or who you support PHRASALVERBS nail sth<->down 1 to fasten sth down with a nail or nails 2 to reach an agreement or a decision, usually after a lot of discussion: All the parties seem anxious to nail down a ceasefire. nail sb<->down (to sth) to force sb to give you a definite promise or tell you exactly what they intend to do: She says she'll come, but I can't nail her down to a specific time. nail sth<->up 1 to fasten sth to a wall, post, etc. with a nail or nails: We spent the morning nailing up signposts. 2 to put nails into a door or window so that it cannot be opened: The door had been nailed up from the outside.