nail
- Top 5000
Sense 1
- noun
- B1
the hard flat part that grows over the end of each finger and each toe
She painted her nails bright red for the party.
Stop biting your nails, you will make your fingers sore.
A tiny splinter of wood got stuck under my nail.
My nails grow so fast that I cut them weekly.
Common collocations: bite your nails · cut your nails · paint your nails · nail polish · under the nail · long nails
Part of: Parts of the body, Hygiene, Appearance
Sense 2 · less common
- noun
- A2
a thin piece of metal with a sharp point at one end and a flat top, hit into wood to hold things together
He hammered a nail into the wall to hang the mirror.
Careful, a rusty nail is sticking out of that plank.
One of the nails in the old chair has worked loose.
Common collocations: hammer a nail · bang in a nail · a rusty nail · pull out a nail · a box of nails
Part of: Materials, Cleaning and repairs