nail

nail
\ \ [OE] The Indo-European ancestor of nail was *nogh- or *onogh-. The latter was the source of Latin unguis (which evolved into French ongle and Italian unghia and has given English ungulate [19]) and Greek ónux (source of English onyx). Both these strands refer only to the sort of nails that grow on fingers and toes, but the Germanic branch of the family (which has come from *nogh- through a prehistoric Germanic *naglaz) has differentiated into a ‘fastening pin’ – originally of wood, latterly of metal. Hence English nail and German nagel cover both meanings (although Dutch and Swedish nagel and Danish negl are used only for the anatomical ‘nail’).
\ \ Cf.ONYX, UNGULATE

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Nail — (n[=a]l), n. [AS. n[ae]gel, akin to D. nagel, OS. & OHG. nagal, G. nagel, Icel. nagl, nail (in sense 1), nagli nail (in sense 3), Sw. nagel nail (in senses 1 and 3), Dan. nagle, Goth. ganagljan to nail, Lith. nagas nail (in sense 1), Russ. nogote …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Nail — may refer to: Nail (anatomy), toughened keratin at the end of an animal digit Nail (beak), a plate of hard horny tissue at the tip of some bird beaks Nail (fastener), the pin shaped fastener used in engineering, woodworking and construction Nail… …   Wikipedia

  • Nail'd — Developer(s) Techland Publisher(s) Deep Silver Engine …   Wikipedia

  • Nail — Nail, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Nailed} (n[=a]ld); p. pr. & vb. n. {Nailing}.] [AS. n[ae]glian. See {Nail}, n.] 1. To fasten with a nail or nails; to close up or secure by means of nails; as, to nail boards to the beams. [1913 Webster] He is now dead …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • nail — ► NOUN 1) a small metal spike with a broadened flat head, hammered in to join things together or to serve as a hook. 2) a horny covering on the upper surface of the tip of the finger and toe in humans and other primates. ► VERB 1) fasten with a… …   English terms dictionary

  • Nail — steht für: Nagel im Englischen Ein angloamerikanisches Maßsystem Eine deutsche Metalcore Band, siehe Nail (Band) Nail (Vorname), einen männlichen Vornamen arabischer Herkunft Nail ist der Familienname folgender Personen: David Nail (* 1979), US… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Nail — Personnage de Dragon Ball Naissance Namek Origine Namek …   Wikipédia en Français

  • nail — [nāl] n. [ME naile < OE nægl, akin to Ger nagel < IE base * onogh, nail > Sans áṅghri , foot, Gr onyx, nail, L unguis, fingernail] 1. a) a thin, horny covering that grows out over the upper tip of a finger or toe b) a similar growth on a …   English World dictionary

  • Nail —   [neɪl; englisch »Nagel«], frühere britische Längeneinheit, 1 Nail = 2¼ Inch = 5,715 cm.   …   Universal-Lexikon

  • nail — [v1] fasten, fix with pointed object attach, beat, bind, drive, hammer, hit, hold, join, pin, pound, secure, sock*, spike, strike, tack, whack*; concepts 85,160,189 Ant. unfasten, unnail nail [v2] capture, arrest apprehend, bag, catch, collar*,… …   New thesaurus

  • nail up — To close or fasten with or as if with nails • • • Main Entry: ↑nail …   Useful english dictionary

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