Reading Theme:
Tail Meaning, Examples & Common Uses (3 meaning)
Meaning 1：animal tail (tail)
tail
/teɪl/
n., v.
The long, thin part at the back of an animal's body, like what a dog wags.
animal tail
➕
/ˈænɪməl teɪl/
n., v.
The long, thin part extending from the back of an animal's body, often used for communication, balance, or movement.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Root Explanation
From Old English 'tægel', related to German 'Zagel', meaning 'hair' or 'tail'.
💡 Mnemonic
Picture a dog's tail wagging like a 'tell' sign; think 'a tail tells a story'.
📖 Example
The happy puppy wagged its tail excitedly when its owner came home.
The happy puppy wagged its tail excitedly when its owner came home.
🔗 Collocations
wag its tail – move the tail from side to side quickly
tail between its legs – a posture showing fear or submission
tail end – the final part of something
🔄 Synonyms
appendage (n.) – a part that extends from the main body, like a tail or limb
brush (n.) – the bushy tail of an animal, especially a fox
caudal appendage (n.) – a scientific term for the tail part of an animal
🚫 Antonyms
🌱 Derivatives
📖 Cultural Story
The word 'tail' originates from Proto-Germanic 'taglaz', linked to 'hair'. It evolved to describe the posterior appendage of animals, and later extended to metaphorical uses like 'the tail of a queue'.
Meaning 2：follow secretly (tail)
tail
/teɪl/
n., v.
To follow someone closely and secretly to see where they go and what they do.
follow secretly
➕
/ˈfɑːloʊ ˈsiːkrəti/
n., v.
To follow someone closely and secretly, usually to gather information about their movements or activities.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
In the movie, the detective was hired to tail the businessman and report his daily activities.
In the movie, the detective was hired to tail the businessman and report his daily activities.
🔗 Collocations
tail someone – follow a person secretly
put a tail on someone – assign someone to follow a person
lose one's tail – escape from someone who is following you
🔄 Synonyms
Meaning 3：rear part (tail)
tail
/teɪl/
n., v.
The back or last part of something long, like a plane, a line of people, or a comet.
rear part
➕
/rɪr pɑːrt/
n., v.
The last or back part of a long object, such as an airplane, a queue, a comet, or a vehicle.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
We were stuck in the tail of the queue and had to wait for over an hour.
We were stuck in the tail of the queue and had to wait for over an hour.
🔗 Collocations
tail end – the very last part of something
tail of a plane – the rear section of an aircraft
tail section – the back part of a vehicle or structure
🔄 Synonyms
Wordbook
Your data is saved in this browser