nail

nail¹ S3 [neıl] n

[: Old English; Origin: nAgl]

1.) a thin pointed piece of metal with a flat top, which you hit into a surface with a hammer, for example to join things together or to hang something on

▪ The key was hanging on a nail by the door.

hammer/bang/hit a nail into sth

▪ She hammered a nail into the wall.

2.) your nails are the hard smooth layers on the ends of your fingers and toes

▪ I've broken my nail .

▪ Stop biting your nails !

▪ She sat painting her nails (=putting a coloured substance on them) .

▪ He still had dirt under his nails.

→↑fingernail, ↑toenail

3.) nail in sb's/sth's coffin

one of several bad things which help to destroy someone's success or hopes

▪ Observers fear that this strike will be another nail in the coffin of the industry.

▪ the final nail in his coffin

4.) as hard/tough as nails

very ↑tough and not easily frightened, or not caring about the effects of your actions on other people

5.) on the nail

a) BrE if you pay money on the nail, you pay it immediately

b) especially AmE completely correct

▪ They got it absolutely on the nail .

→hit the nail on the head at ↑hit¹ (26)

nail ²

nail² v [T]

1.) [always + adverb/preposition]

to fasten something to something else with nails

nail sth to sth

▪ A sign saying 'No Fishing' had been nailed to the tree.

nail sth down

▪ The lid was firmly nailed down.

nail sth up

(=permanently close a window or door by fixing something across it using nails)

▪ The windows had been nailed up.

2.) informal to catch someone and prove that they are guilty of a crime or something bad

▪ It took us 10 years to nail the guy who killed our daughter.

nail sb for sth

▪ The state police finally nailed him for fraud.

3.) informal if you nail something, you succeed in getting it, after a lot of time or effort

▪ She finally nailed her dream job.

4.) nail a lie/myth

BrE informal to prove that what someone has said is completely untrue

5.) nail your colours to the mast

BrE to say clearly and publicly which ideas or which people you support

6.) nail sb to the wall/cross

especially AmE to punish someone severely

nail down [nail sb/sth<=>down] phr v

1.) to reach a final and definite agreement or decision about something

▪ Two days isn't enough time to nail down the details of an agreement.

2.) to force someone to say clearly what they want or what they intend to do

nail somebody/something<=>down to

▪ Before they repair the car, nail them down to a price.