- [countable]
the part that sticks out at the back of the body of a bird, an animal or a fish, which the animal can move from side to side or up and down 尾；尾巴 
The dog ran up, wagging its tail. 那条狗摇着尾巴跑上前去。 My dog loves to chase his tail. 我的狗喜欢追逐自己的尾巴。 The male has beautiful tail feathers. 雄鸟有美丽的尾羽。 It was black from its nose to the tip of its tail. 它从头到尾都是黑色的。
Homophones tail | taletail talesee also ponytailTopics Animalsb1, Birdsb1, Fish and shellfishb1- tail noun
The peacock fans out its magnificent tail to attract females. 孔雀张开它华丽的尾巴来吸引雌性。
- tail verb
A spy is sent to tail the family and find out everything they do. 一个间谍被派去跟踪这个家庭，了解他们所做的一切。
- tale noun
She told the children the tale of the tortoise and the hare. 她给孩子们讲了乌龟和兔子的故事。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- long
- short
- bushy
- …
- flick
- swish
- thrash
- …
- swish
- twitch
- wag
- …
- bone
- feathers
- fin
- …
- the tip of its/his/her tail
(in adjectives 构成形容词 having the type of tail mentioned 有…尾巴的 a white-tailed eagle 白尾雕
More Like This Compound adjectives for physical characteristicsCompound adjectives for physical characteristics- [countable]
the back part of a plane, spacecraft, etc. 尾部；后部 
The plane's tail section had broken off. 飞机的尾部断了。
Oxford Collocations Dictionarytail + noun- section
- fin
- light
- …
- at the tail
- nose to tail
- [countable] tail (of something)
a part of something that sticks out at the back like a tail 尾状后部；尾状物 the tail of a kite 风筝的尾坠
Oxford Collocations Dictionarytail + noun- section
- fin
- light
- …
- at the tail
- nose to tail
- [countable] tail (of something)
the last part of something that is moving away from you （离去事物的）末尾部分 the tail of the procession 游行队伍的末尾 the truck at the tail of our convoy 我们受护送车队尾部的那辆卡车
Oxford Collocations Dictionarytail + noun- section
- fin
- light
- …
- at the tail
- nose to tail
- tails[plural] (informal)(also tailcoat [countable])
a long jacket divided at the back below the waist into two pieces that become narrower at the bottom, worn by men at very formal events 燕尾服；男式晚礼服 - tails[uncountable]
the side of a coin that does not have a picture of the head of a person on it, used as one choice when a coin is tossed to decide something 硬币反面，硬币文面（没有头像的一面） - [countable] (informal)
a person who is sent to follow somebody secretly and find out information about where that person goes, what they do, etc. 盯梢人；暗探
of bird/animal/fish鸟兽；鱼
-tailed有…尾巴
of plane/spacecraft飞机；宇宙飞船
back/end of something后部；末尾
jacket上衣
side of coin硬币的面
person who follows somebody跟踪者
Word OriginOld English tæg(e)l, from a Germanic base meaning ‘hair, hairy tail’; related to Middle Low German tagel ‘twisted whip, rope's end’. The early sense of the verb (early 16th cent.) was ‘fasten to the back of something’.
Idioms
can’t make head nor/or tail of something
chase your (own) tail
- (informal)
to be very busy but in fact achieve very little 瞎忙活；徒劳无功
heads or tails?
used to ask somebody which side of a coin they think will be facing upwards when it is tossed in order to decide something by chance （掷硬币作决定时说）正面还是反面
nose to tail
- (British English)
if cars, etc. are nose to tail, they are moving slowly in a long line with little space between them （汽车等）首尾相连（缓缓行进） The traffic was nose to tail for miles. 车辆头尾相连，绵延数英里。
on somebody’s tail
- (informal)
following behind somebody very closely, especially in a car （尤指开车）盯梢，尾随 There’s been a white van sitting on my tail for the past ten miles. 在过去的十英里里，一直有一辆白色的货车跟在我后面。
a sting in the tail
- (informal)
an unpleasant feature that comes at the end of a story, an event, etc. and makes it less good, successful, etc. 煞风景的结局
the tail (is) wagging the dog
used to describe a situation in which the most important aspect is being influenced and controlled by somebody/something that is not as important （用以描述次要部分影响和支配主要部分）主次颠倒，喧宾夺主
turn tail
to run away from a fight or dangerous situation （危急时刻）转身逃跑，逃逸，临阵脱逃 When they heard the sirens, they turned tail and ran. 听到警笛声，他们掉头就跑。
with your tail between your legs
- (informal)
feeling ashamed or unhappy because you have been defeated or punished 无地自容；垂头丧气；灰溜溜