tail

I UK [teɪl] / US noun
Word forms "tail":
singular tail plural tails
**

1) [countable] a part at the back of an animal's body that can move

The animal sprays liquid from a gland under its tail.

the bright tail feathers of a peacock

2)

a) [countable] the back part of something that is long or that consists of many parts

the tail of a comet

He was at the tail of the queue.

b) the back part of a plane

3) [countable] informal someone who is sent to secretly follow someone else, especially a criminal

4) tails

[uncountable] the side of a coin that does not have a picture of a person on it

5) [countable] the bottom part of your shirt that you put inside your trousers

6) tails

[plural] a man's formal jacket that is short at the front and has two long pointed parts that hang down at the back

He wore a top hat and tails.

•

- be on someone's tail

- the tail wagging the dog

- turn tail

- with your tail between your legs

II UK [teɪl] / US verb [transitive]
Word forms "tail":
present tense I/you/we/they tail he/she/it tails present participle tailing past tense tailed past participle tailed

to follow someone secretly to see what they are going to do

Phrasal verbs:

- tail away

- tail back

- tail off