Nails vs. Nail — What's the Difference?

A slim, pointed piece of metal hammered into material as a fastener.

A slim, pointed piece of metal hammered into material as a fastener.

A fingernail or toenail.

A fingernail or toenail.

A claw or talon.

A claw or talon.

Something resembling a nail in shape, sharpness, or use.

Something resembling a nail in shape, sharpness, or use.

A measure of length formerly used for cloth, equal to 1/16 yard (5.7 centimeters).

A measure of length formerly used for cloth, equal to 1/16 yard (5.7 centimeters).

To fasten, join, or attach with or as if with a nail.

To fasten, join, or attach with or as if with a nail.

To cover, enclose, or shut by fastening with nails

To cover, enclose, or shut by fastening with nails

To keep fixed, motionless, or intent

To keep fixed, motionless, or intent

To stop and seize; catch

To stop and seize; catch

To detect and expose

To detect and expose

To strike or bring down

To strike or bring down

To perform successfully or have noteworthy success in

To perform successfully or have noteworthy success in

(Baseball) To put out (a base runner).

(Baseball) To put out (a base runner).

Vulgar Slang To have sexual intercourse with.

Vulgar Slang To have sexual intercourse with.

Plural of nail

The thin, horny plate at the ends of fingers and toes on humans and some other animals.

The four round-topped pedestals outside the Corn Exchange in Bristol on which bargains used to be struck.

The basal thickened portion of the anterior wings of certain hemiptera.

The terminal horny plate on the beak of ducks, and other allied birds.

The claw of a bird or other animal.

A spike-shaped metal fastener used for joining wood or similar materials. The nail is generally driven through two or more layers of material by means of impacts from a hammer or other device. It is then held in place by friction.

A round pedestal on which merchants once carried out their business, such as the four nails outside The Exchange, Bristol.

An archaic English unit of length equivalent to 20 of an ell or 16 of a yard (4 inches or 5.715 cm).

(transitive) To fix (an object) to another object using a nail.

(intransitive) To drive a nail.

(transitive) To stud or boss with nails, or as if with nails.

(slang) To catch.

To expose as a sham.

To accomplish (a task) completely and successfully.

To hit (a target) effectively with some weapon.

Of a male, to engage in sexual intercourse with.

(military) To spike, as a cannon.

(transitive) To nail down: to make certain, or confirm.

The horny scale of plate of epidermis at the end of the fingers and toes of man and many apes.

The basal thickened portion of the anterior wings of certain hemiptera.

A slender, pointed piece of metal, usually with a head{2}, used for fastening pieces of wood or other material together, by being driven into or through them.

A measure of length, being two inches and a quarter, or the sixteenth of a yard.

To fasten with a nail or nails; to close up or secure by means of nails; as, to nail boards to the beams.

To stud or boss with nails, or as with nails.

To fasten, as with a nail; to bind or hold, as to a bargain or to acquiescence in an argument or assertion; hence, to catch; to trap.

To spike, as a cannon.

Horny plate covering and protecting part of the dorsal surface of the digits

A thin pointed piece of metal that is hammered into materials as a fastener

A former unit of length for cloth equal to 1/16 of a yard

Attach something somewhere by means of nails;

Take into custody;

Hit hard;

Succeed in obtaining a position;

Succeed at easily;

Locate exactly;

Complete a pass