Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

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.



   {To turn one's coat}, to change one's uniform or colors; to
      go over to the opposite party.

   {To turn one's goods} or {money}, and the like, to exchange
      in the course of trade; to keep in lively exchange or
      circulation; to gain or increase in trade.

   {To turn one's hand to}, to adapt or apply one's self to; to
      engage in.

   {To turn out}.
      (a) To drive out; to expel; as, to turn a family out of
          doors; to turn a man out of office.

                I'll turn you out of my kingdom.  -- Shak.
      (b) to put to pasture, as cattle or horses.
      (c) To produce, as the result of labor, or any process of
          manufacture; to furnish in a completed state.
      (d) To reverse, as a pocket, bag, etc., so as to bring the
          inside to the outside; hence, to produce.
      (e) To cause to cease, or to put out, by turning a
          stopcock, valve, or the like; as, to turn out the
          lights.

   {To turn over}.
      (a) To change or reverse the position of; to overset; to
          overturn; to cause to roll over.
      (b) To transfer; as, to turn over business to another
          hand.
      (c) To read or examine, as a book, while, turning the
          leaves. ``We turned o'er many books together.''
          --Shak.
      (d) To handle in business; to do business to the amount
          of; as, he turns over millions a year. [Colloq.]

   {To turn over a new leaf}. See under {Leaf}.

   {To turn tail}, to run away; to retreat ignominiously.

   {To turn the back}, to flee; to retreat.

   {To turn the back on} or

   {upon}, to treat with contempt; to reject or refuse
      unceremoniously.

   {To turn the corner}, to pass the critical stage; to get by
      the worst point; hence, to begin to improve, or to
      succeed.

   {To turn the die} or {dice}, to change fortune.

   {To turn the edge} or {point of}, to bend over the edge or
      point of so as to make dull; to blunt.

   {To turn the head} or {brain of}, to make giddy, wild,
      insane, or the like; to infatuate; to overthrow the reason
      or judgment of; as, a little success turned his head.

   {To turn the scale} or {balance}, to change the
      preponderance; to decide or determine something doubtful.
      

   {To turn the stomach of}, to nauseate; to sicken.

   {To turn the tables}, to reverse the chances or conditions of
      success or superiority; to give the advantage to the
      person or side previously at a disadvantage.

   {To turn tippet}, to make a change. [Obs.] --B. Jonson.

   {To turn to} {profit, advantage}, etc., to make profitable or
      advantageous.

   {To turn up}.
      (a) To turn so as to bring the bottom side on top; as, to
          turn up the trump.
      (b) To bring from beneath to the surface, as in plowing,
          digging, etc.
      (c) To give an upward curve to; to tilt; as, to turn up
          the nose.

   {To turn upon}, to retort; to throw back; as, to turn the
      arguments of an opponent upon himself.

   {To turn upside down}, to confuse by putting things awry; to
      throw into disorder.

            This house is turned upside down since Robin Ostler
            died.                                 --Shak.