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.
