Definition of To turn tail. Meaning of To turn tail. Synonyms of To turn tail

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Definition of To turn tail

To turn tail
Tail Tail, n. [AS. t[ae]gel, t[ae]gl; akin to G. zagel, Icel. tagl, Sw. tagel, Goth. tagl hair. [root]59.] 1. (Zo["o]l.) The terminal, and usually flexible, posterior appendage of an animal. Note: The tail of mammals and reptiles contains a series of movable vertebr[ae], and is covered with flesh and hairs or scales like those of other parts of the body. The tail of existing birds consists of several more or less consolidated vertebr[ae] which supports a fanlike group of quills to which the term tail is more particularly applied. The tail of fishes consists of the tapering hind portion of the body ending in a caudal fin. The term tail is sometimes applied to the entire abdomen of a crustacean or insect, and sometimes to the terminal piece or pygidium alone. 2. Any long, flexible terminal appendage; whatever resembles, in shape or position, the tail of an animal, as a catkin. Doretus writes a great praise of the distilled waters of those tails that hang on willow trees. --Harvey. 3. Hence, the back, last, lower, or inferior part of anything, -- as opposed to the head, or the superior part. The Lord will make thee the head, and not the tail. --Deut. xxviii. 13. 4. A train or company of attendants; a retinue. ``Ah,' said he, ``if you saw but the chief with his tail on.' --Sir W. Scott. 5. The side of a coin opposite to that which bears the head, effigy, or date; the reverse; -- rarely used except in the expression ``heads or tails,' employed when a coin is thrown up for the purpose of deciding some point by its fall. 6. (Anat.) The distal tendon of a muscle. 7. (Bot.) A downy or feathery appendage to certain achenes. It is formed of the permanent elongated style. 8. (Surg.) (a) A portion of an incision, at its beginning or end, which does not go through the whole thickness of the skin, and is more painful than a complete incision; -- called also tailing. (b) One of the strips at the end of a bandage formed by splitting the bandage one or more times. 9. (Naut.) A rope spliced to the strap of a block, by which it may be lashed to anything. 10. (Mus.) The part of a note which runs perpendicularly upward or downward from the head; the stem. --Moore (Encyc. of Music). 11. pl. Same as Tailing, 4. 12. (Arch.) The bottom or lower portion of a member or part, as a slate or tile. 13. pl. (Mining) See Tailing, n., 5. Tail beam. (Arch.) Same as Tailpiece. Tail coverts (Zo["o]l.), the feathers which cover the bases of the tail quills. They are sometimes much longer than the quills, and form elegant plumes. Those above the quills are called the upper tail coverts, and those below, the under tail coverts. Tail end, the latter end; the termination; as, the tail end of a contest. [Colloq.] Tail joist. (Arch.) Same as Tailpiece. Tail of a comet (Astron.), a luminous train extending from the nucleus or body, often to a great distance, and usually in a direction opposite to the sun. Tail of a gale (Naut.), the latter part of it, when the wind has greatly abated. --Totten. Tail of a lock (on a canal), the lower end, or entrance into the lower pond. Tail of the trenches (Fort.), the post where the besiegers begin to break ground, and cover themselves from the fire of the place, in advancing the lines of approach. Tail spindle, the spindle of the tailstock of a turning lathe; -- called also dead spindle. To turn tail, to run away; to flee. Would she turn tail to the heron, and fly quite out another way; but all was to return in a higher pitch. --Sir P. Sidney.

Meaning of To turn tail from wikipedia

- "Terra Firma" and "Up All Night" were released as singles prior to the album launch. "Turn Tail" was the next single released on 19 May 2008. The closing track...
- A vertical stabilizer or tail fin is the static part of the vertical tail of an aircraft. The term is commonly applied to the ****embly of both this fixed...
- known as the tail or tail ****embly, is a structure at the rear of an aircraft that provides stability during flight, in a way similar to the feathers...
- red-tailed hawk remain the most commonly used for beginners and experienced falconers alike. Red-tailed hawks are held in high regard in the UK due to the...
- The V-tail or vee-tail (sometimes called a butterfly tail or Rudlicki's V-tail[citation needed]) of an aircraft is an unconventional arrangement of the...
- /ˌʊərəˈbɒrəs/) is an ancient symbol depicting a serpent or dragon eating its own tail. The ouroboros entered Western tradition via ancient Egyptian iconography...
- A comet tail and coma are visible features of a comet when they are illuminated by the Sun and may become visible from Earth when a comet p****es through...
- the "long tail" of a distribution, but only the property of a distribution being long-tailed. In business, the term long tail is applied to rank-size...
- Mashima, and illustrated by Atsuo Ueda. It is a sequel to Mashima's previous series, Fairy Tail. The manga was launched in Kodansha's Magazine Pocket manga...
- used for stop, turn, reversing and rear fog lights, while bulbs of 4 to 10 W, producing 40 to 130 lm (3 to 10 mscp) are used for tail lights, parking...