English Reference

Word

tails

US/ˈteɪɫz/

UK/tˈeɪlz/

Definitions

01plural of tail

A2

n. the long parts at the back of animals' bodies.

n. the plural form of the posterior appendage of an animal.

“The two dogs wagged their tails happily when their owner came home.”

“The biologist noted that the various species of lemurs used their long tails for balance while navigating the thin branches of the canopy.”

Synonyms

Antonyms

02side of a coin

B1

n. the side of a coin that does not have a person's face on it.

n. the reverse side of a coin, opposite the obverse or 'heads' side.

“He flipped the coin and it landed on tails, so I had to go first.”

“In many sports, a referee flips a coin and asks the captains to choose heads or tails to determine which team kicks off first.”

Synonyms

Antonyms

03formal clothing

B2

n. a very formal black jacket that is short in the front and long in the back.

n. a man's formal evening suit featuring a coat with a divided skirt at the back; a clipping of 'tailcoat'.

“The musicians in the orchestra all wore black tails for the gala performance.”

“The invitation specified white tie, requiring the gentlemen to arrive in full tails and a stiff-fronted shirt.”

Formal

Synonyms

tailcoatevening dress

04industrial waste

C2 · Science

n. the waste material left over after processing ore or making alcohol.

n. the residue or waste remaining after the valuable part of an ore has been extracted; also used for the final part of a liquid distillation.

“The mining company had to build a large dam to hold the tails from the gold mine.”

“Environmental regulations require the safe disposal of tails to prevent toxic chemicals from leaching into the local groundwater supply.”

Technical

Synonyms

tailingsresiduewaste

Idioms

heads or tails — The practice of flipping a coin in the air, to choose between two alternatives based on which side lands face up.

Domain

Mining

This entry

Level
B1 · Intermediate
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

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English Reference