noun

nail

nail

She painted her nails red.

She painted her nails red.

He hit the nail with a hammer.

He hit the nail with a hammer.

a nail a hard part on your finger or a metal pin She has a broken nail.

Synonyms: (for metal spike) spike, tack, pin

From Old English 'nægl', related to German 'Nagel'. It refers to both the thing on your finger and the metal fastener.

Picture a hammer hitting a metal 'nail' and also accidentally hitting a finger 'nail'. This connects the two meanings.

This page is designed for learning support. Please use it as a learning reference, not as a formal reference.