Tail | Mean of tail in English Dictionary

/ˈteɪl/

• Noun
• the part of an animal's body that extends from the animal's back end
1. a monkey with a long tail
• a long piece that extends from the back end or bottom of something
1. the tail of a kite
2. a comet's tail
• the back end of an airplane, helicopter, etc.

• the back side of a coin
1. I call tails.
2. Is it heads or tails? [=did the coin land with heads or tails facing up?]
• a person (such as a detective) who follows or watches someone
1. They put a tail on the suspect. [=they had someone follow the suspect]
• following closely behind someone
1. The sheriff was hot on their tails.
• to turn around and run away from danger, trouble, etc.
1. He turned tail and ran from the fight.
2. You can't just turn tail and run from your problems.
• with a feeling of being embarrassed or ashamed especially because you have been defeated
1. He lost the fight and went home with his tail between his legs.
• Verb
• to follow (someone) closely
1. The police had been tailing the suspect for several miles.
2. She is constantly tailed by the press.
• to move in a line that is not straight
1. The pitch tailed away from the batter.
• to form a line that moves slowly or not at all because of heavy traffic, an accident, etc.
1. Traffic tailed back [=backed up] for miles.
• to become smaller or quieter in a gradual way
1. Our productivity tailed off last year.
2. She started to ask a question and then her voice tailed off. [=trailed off]