Nail
noun
A small metal spike with a broadened flat head, driven typically into wood to join things together or to serve as a peg or hook.
He hammered the nail into the wall.
Often appears as...
- hit the nail
- nail and hammer
verb
Attach or fasten with a nail or nails.
She nailed the pictures to the wall.
Often appears as...
- nail it down
- nail on the wall
verb
Succeed in securing or achieving.
He nailed the job interview.
Often appears as...
- nail the deal
- nail the test
Usage tips
Idiomatic
noun
The hard protective substance at the tips of fingers and toes.
She painted her nails with red nail polish.
Often appears as...
- nail polish
- bite nails
noun
A small metal spike with a broadened flat head, driven typically into wood to join things together or to serve as a peg or hook.
He hammered the nail into the wall.
Often appears as...
- hit the nail
- nail and hammer
verb
Attach or fasten with a nail or nails.
She nailed the pictures to the wall.
Often appears as...
- nail it down
- nail on the wall
verb
Succeed in securing or achieving.
He nailed the job interview.
Often appears as...
- nail the deal
- nail the test
Usage tips
Idiomatic
noun
The hard protective substance at the tips of fingers and toes.
She painted her nails with red nail polish.
Often appears as...
- nail polish
- bite nails
Definition 1 of 4
Pro Tip 1/3Construction Vocabulary
Used frequently in discussions about building or repairing things.
The carpenter sorted different-sized nails before starting work.
Pro Tip 2/3Metaphoric Uses
Sometimes used metaphorically to mean a crucial point in an argument or theory.
Her argument had one final nail to prove her point.
Pro Tip 3/3Collocations Matter
Often collocates with 'hammer' when talking about the action of using it.
Make sure to hold the nail steady while you hammer it in.
Pro Tip 1/3Construction Vocabulary
Used frequently in discussions about building or repairing things.
The carpenter sorted different-sized nails before starting work.
Pro Tip 2/3Metaphoric Uses
Sometimes used metaphorically to mean a crucial point in an argument or theory.
Her argument had one final nail to prove her point.
Pro Tip 3/3Collocations Matter
Often collocates with 'hammer' when talking about the action of using it.
Make sure to hold the nail steady while you hammer it in.
Pro Tip 1/3Construction Vocabulary
Used frequently in discussions about building or repairing things.
The carpenter sorted different-sized nails before starting work.
Pro Tip 2/3Metaphoric Uses
Sometimes used metaphorically to mean a crucial point in an argument or theory.
Her argument had one final nail to prove her point.
Pro Tip 3/3Collocations Matter
Often collocates with 'hammer' when talking about the action of using it.
Make sure to hold the nail steady while you hammer it in.
Never forget "Nail"
Humans forget easily. That's why you should download WordUp: Smart reminders, word games, AI practice, and much more!
Video examples
Do Elephants Cry? PIPE...
and they can't take it from her. But yeah, elephants do never forget. Why do elephants have cushioned feet? That's a really good question. Elephants have cushioned feet to help spread their weight a bit more, because one of the things you don't want is elephants walking too far on the front of their feet on their nails, because that can cause lots of pressure, which can cause issues with their feet.
Video examples
How to raise a Black son...
it's simply because they wanted to keep us alive. All of my black friends were raised with the same message, the talk, given to us when we became old enough to be mistaken for a nail ready to be hammered to the ground, when people made our melanin synonymous with something to be feared. But what does it do to a child
Video examples
Can Sloths Kill You? PIPE...
Well, I mean, why do any of us exist? Sloths exist because they are ridiculously cool and the world would be rubbish without them. Why do sloth's have such long claws, so um, I, to be fair, would probably call them nails rather than claws because they don't use them
Video examples
Nail Polish PIPE...
turns out is neither regular nor that old anyway compared to the nail polish of the ancients nail polish of today has a lot more ingredients because it has to do a lot more things first and foremost the color has to speak to some deep longing within your soul
Video examples
Making wildlife a part...
on the ground fighting tooth and nail to save a Pangolin or save a bonobo or save a southern right whale conservationists are fighting really hard but let's face it they're behind they're not catching up and another world elephant day isn't
Video examples
Bizarre Bat Moments PIPE...
in the atacama desert george has called in wildlife camerawoman sophie darlington her thermal camera will be able to capture the vampire bats feeding what we need to do to nail it is to see them feeding that's that would be extraordinary
Video examples
Vampire Bats feeding on...
in the atacama desert george has called in wildlife camerawoman sophie darlington her thermal camera will be able to capture the vampire bats feeding what we need to do to nail it is to see them feeding
Video examples
Claws vs. nails -...
However, both claws and nails are used in some unexpected ways. Manatees use nails to grasp their food, and researchers think elephant toenails may sense vibrations in the ground to help them hear.
Video examples
Stunning Sideshow...
water and hammers nails up his nose we brought to the public something that was sorely needed in our plastic humdrum yuppie eyes dworld in carnival Diablo Vanessa meal keeps alive a long and
Video examples
How to tie your shoes PIPE...
one of the life skills that I had really nailed was tying my shoes. But not so -- let me demonstrate. This is the way that most of us were taught to tie our shoes.
Video examples
Do Elephants Cry? PIPE...
and they can't take it from her. But yeah, elephants do never forget. Why do elephants have cushioned feet? That's a really good question. Elephants have cushioned feet to help spread their weight a bit more, because one of the things you don't want is elephants walking too far on the front of their feet on their nails, because that can cause lots of pressure, which can cause issues with their feet.
Video examples
How to raise a Black son...
it's simply because they wanted to keep us alive. All of my black friends were raised with the same message, the talk, given to us when we became old enough to be mistaken for a nail ready to be hammered to the ground, when people made our melanin synonymous with something to be feared. But what does it do to a child
Video examples
Can Sloths Kill You? PIPE...
Well, I mean, why do any of us exist? Sloths exist because they are ridiculously cool and the world would be rubbish without them. Why do sloth's have such long claws, so um, I, to be fair, would probably call them nails rather than claws because they don't use them
Video examples
Nail Polish PIPE...
turns out is neither regular nor that old anyway compared to the nail polish of the ancients nail polish of today has a lot more ingredients because it has to do a lot more things first and foremost the color has to speak to some deep longing within your soul
Video examples
Making wildlife a part...
on the ground fighting tooth and nail to save a Pangolin or save a bonobo or save a southern right whale conservationists are fighting really hard but let's face it they're behind they're not catching up and another world elephant day isn't
Video examples
Bizarre Bat Moments PIPE...
in the atacama desert george has called in wildlife camerawoman sophie darlington her thermal camera will be able to capture the vampire bats feeding what we need to do to nail it is to see them feeding that's that would be extraordinary
Video examples
Vampire Bats feeding on...
in the atacama desert george has called in wildlife camerawoman sophie darlington her thermal camera will be able to capture the vampire bats feeding what we need to do to nail it is to see them feeding
Video examples
Claws vs. nails -...
However, both claws and nails are used in some unexpected ways. Manatees use nails to grasp their food, and researchers think elephant toenails may sense vibrations in the ground to help them hear.
Video examples
Stunning Sideshow...
water and hammers nails up his nose we brought to the public something that was sorely needed in our plastic humdrum yuppie eyes dworld in carnival Diablo Vanessa meal keeps alive a long and
Video examples
How to tie your shoes PIPE...
one of the life skills that I had really nailed was tying my shoes. But not so -- let me demonstrate. This is the way that most of us were taught to tie our shoes.
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Romesh Ranganathan
British Comedian
People who are comfortable in their own skin I admire, but you don't know what's really going on. If you meet someone who says they nail being a human, they are as far away from nailing it as a human as you can possibly imagine.
Quote examples
Kim Cattrall
English Actress
I got to L.A., and they said I had to lose weight, let my hair grow and buy some dresses. I was nailing auditions with my readings, but they wouldn't hire me because I wasn't putting on the glam. It just didn't occur to me.
Quote examples
Nita Strauss
American Musician
There were always people in the audience that judged me on the way I looked. They just assumed, because I was a girl, that I wasn't going to be any good, and it motivated me to improve and nail it every night.
Quote examples
Gina Rodriguez
American Actress
What makes characters real are details, and if you're crafting a person from scratch, you're probably not going to pay as much attention to a question like, 'Does this person bite their nails?
Quote examples
Poppy Delevingne
English Model
I'm a bit of a bed head: I'm always running around with no make-up on and my hair in a mess, but my nails are one thing I do love to keep looking nice, so it's rare to see me without it.
Quote examples
Pauline Hanson
Australian Politician
We have one of the highest interest rates in the world, and we owe more money per capita than any other country. All we need is a nail hole in the bottom of the boat and we're sunk.
Quote examples
Rosalia
Spanish Singer
For years, I've been so passionate about nail art and about doing my nails constantly, with different nail artists from around the world.
Quote examples
Jamie Hewlett
English Artist
You can write and write, but if you don't have someone who can nail that character, it's never going to live.
Quote examples
George Groves
British Athlete
Once I've got that world title I'll never want to lose it. I'll fight tooth and nail to keep it.
Quote examples
Phoebe Robinson
American Comedian
I'm a nail biter and have been my whole life.
Quote examples
Romesh Ranganathan
British Comedian
People who are comfortable in their own skin I admire, but you don't know what's really going on. If you meet someone who says they nail being a human, they are as far away from nailing it as a human as you can possibly imagine.
Quote examples
Kim Cattrall
English Actress
I got to L.A., and they said I had to lose weight, let my hair grow and buy some dresses. I was nailing auditions with my readings, but they wouldn't hire me because I wasn't putting on the glam. It just didn't occur to me.
Quote examples
Nita Strauss
American Musician
There were always people in the audience that judged me on the way I looked. They just assumed, because I was a girl, that I wasn't going to be any good, and it motivated me to improve and nail it every night.
Quote examples
Gina Rodriguez
American Actress
What makes characters real are details, and if you're crafting a person from scratch, you're probably not going to pay as much attention to a question like, 'Does this person bite their nails?
Quote examples
Poppy Delevingne
English Model
I'm a bit of a bed head: I'm always running around with no make-up on and my hair in a mess, but my nails are one thing I do love to keep looking nice, so it's rare to see me without it.
Quote examples
Pauline Hanson
Australian Politician
We have one of the highest interest rates in the world, and we owe more money per capita than any other country. All we need is a nail hole in the bottom of the boat and we're sunk.
Quote examples
Rosalia
Spanish Singer
For years, I've been so passionate about nail art and about doing my nails constantly, with different nail artists from around the world.
Quote examples
Jamie Hewlett
English Artist
You can write and write, but if you don't have someone who can nail that character, it's never going to live.
Quote examples
George Groves
British Athlete
Once I've got that world title I'll never want to lose it. I'll fight tooth and nail to keep it.
Quote examples
Phoebe Robinson
American Comedian
I'm a nail biter and have been my whole life.
Example 1 of 10
WordUp Chrome Extension
As you browse the web instantly look up words you don’t know.
Get Chrome Extension