nail (nal)

[Early mod. E. also nayle; horn growing on the up per side of the end of a finger or toe. A nail, technically called unguis, consists of horny substance, which is condensed and hardened epidermis, the same as that forming the horns, hoofs, and claws IMG:content-1187.jpg:[ocr errors] Cro -section of Human Nail, enlarged. b, the nail; a, lateral fold of skin; c, bed of the nail, with its ridges. of various animals. A claw is a sharp curved nail; a hoof is a blunt nail large enough to inclose the end of a digit. The white mark at the base of the human nail is called the lunula. Pare clene thy nailes . Babees Book (E. E. T. S.), р. 28. With their sharp Nails, themselves the Satyrs wound. Congreve, Death of Queen Mary. 2. In entom., the uncus.-3. In ornith., the hard horny end of the bill of any lamellirostral bird, as a duck or goose. It is usually quite distinct from the skinny part of the bill, and resembles a human finger-nail. A similar formation, but more claw-like, occupies the end of the upper mandible of various other water-birds, as the pelican. 4. The callosity on the inner side of a horse's leg near the knee or the hock.- 5. A pin or slender piece of metal used for driving through or into wood or other material for the purpose of holding separate pieces together, or left projecting that things may be hung on it. Nails usually taper to a point (often blunt), are flattened transversely at the larger end (the head), and are rectangular or round in section. Very large and heavy nails are called spikes; A few familiar facts... have been suffered to pa cur- rent so long that it is time they should be nailed to the counter . O. W. Holmes, Med. E ays, p. 67. How many a vulgar Cato has compelled His energies, no longer tamele then, To mould a pin, or fabricate a nail ? or os unguis: so called from its size and shape in man, in which respects it resembles a thumb- nail. See lacrymal , n., and cut under skull . — 2. The terminal phalanx of a digit which bears a nail. nail bourne (nāl'börn), n. [Formerly also nayl- borne ; nail (?) + bourn1 , burn2 .] An inter- mittent spring in the Cretaceous, and espe- cially in the Lower Greensand; a channel filled at a time of exce ive rainfall, when the plane of saturation of the chalk rises to a higher level than usual. The running of one of these bourns was formerly considered "a token of der the, or of pesty- lence, or of grete batayle." Also called simply bourn and bourne both in Kent and Surrey; also bourn and winter- bourn in Hants and further west. The term levant is also used in Hampshire and West Su ex, and gipsy in York- shire, nail-brush (nāl'brush), n. A small brush for cleaning the finger-nails. nailer (nā'ler), n. [ nail + -er1.] 1. One who nails.-2. One whose occupation is the mak- ing of nails; also, one who sells nails. As nailers and locksmiths their fame has spread even to the European markets. Disraeli , Sybil, iii. 4. [ nailer + -e .] A nailere (nā'lèr-es), n . female nail-maker. Hugh Mil- ler. [Rare.] nailery (nā'ler-i), n.; pl. nailer- establishment where nails are made. 6. A stud or bo ; a short metallic pin with a broad head serving for ornament.-7. Same as shooting - needle .-8. A unit of English cloth- measure, 24 inches, or is of a yard. Abbre- ies (-iz). [ nail + -ery.] An viated n.-9. A weight of eight pounds: gen- erally applied to articles of food. Hall i well . [Prov. Eng.] - Countersunk nail, a nail having a cone-shaped head, like that of a screw. - Cut nail, a nail made by a nail-machine, as distinguished from a wrought or forged nail. - On the nail, on the spot; at once; im- mediately; without delay or postponement: as, to pay money on the nail. [This phrase is said to have originated in the custom of making payments, in the Exchange at Bristol, England, and elsewhere, on the top of a pillar called "the nail."] What legacy would you be que a the me now, And pay it on the nail, to fly my fury? Venus tels Vulcan, Mars shall shooe her steed, For he it is that hits the naile o' the head. A rousing whid at times to vend, An' nail 't wi' Scripture. IMG:content-1188.png:[blocks in formation] nail-file (nāl' fil), n. A small flat single-cut file for trimming the finger-nails. It forms part of the furniture of a dre ing-case, or is cut on the blade of a penknife or nail sci ors. head of a nail.-2. In arch ., a medieval ornament. See nail headed.Nail-head spar, a var i ety of calcite, so named in allusion to IMG:content-1189.png:[merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small] nail-headed (nāl'hed"ed), a . 1. Shaped so as to resemble the head of a nail.-2. Ornament- ed with round spots whether in relief or in col- or, as textile fabrics.- Nail-headed characters, Same as arrow-headed characters (which see, under arrow- headed ).- Nail-headed molding, in arch ., a form of molding common in Ro- manesque architecture, so named from being cut into a series of quadrangular pyramidal projections resembling the heads of nails. nailing-machine (nā'ling-ma- shēn"), n. A machine for forcing or driving nails into place. (a) In carp., a feeding- tube for the nails, connected with IMG:content-1190.png:[blocks in formation] nail-maker (nālmā"kėr), n . One who makes nails; a nailer; a person engaged in any caра- city in the manufacture of nails. nail-plate (nālplāt), n. A plate of metal roll- ed to the proper thickne for cutting into nails. nail-rod (nālʼrod), n . A strip split or cut from an iron plate to be made into wrought nails. nail-selector (nal'sē-lektor), n. A machine, or an attachment to a nail-machine, for auto- matically throwing out headle or otherwise ill-formed nails and slivers. nail-tailed (nāl'tāld), a . Having a horny ex- crescence on the end of the tail: as, the nail- tailed kangaroo, Macropus unguifer . IMG:content-1191.png:[blocks in formation] nainsook (nān'sük), n. [ nainā , sprigged muslin.] A kind of muslin similar to jaconet, but thicker, originally made in Bengal. It is made both plain and striped, the stripe running the length of the stuff. nainzook, n. Same as nainsook . Naïs (nā'is), n. [NL., Nais , Ναιάς , L. Νaias , a water-nymph: see Naiad .] 1. The leading genus of Naidide , having the nai ant (nā'sant), a. [ see nascent .] Nascent; newly born or about to be born or brought forth; specifically, in her ., rising or coming forth: said of a beast which is represented as emerging from the middle of an ordinary as a fe e, and in this way differing from i uant . IMG:content-1192.png:[blocks in formation] naitlt, a. [ME. nait , nayt, neytr , fit, fit for use: cf. neyta , use (see nait1 , v .), njōta (= AS. neótan , etc.), use: see note2 .] Fit; able. Of all his sones for so the, that semely were holdyn, Non was so noble, ne of nait strenght, As Ector, the eldist, & aire to hym seluyn. naitlt, v. t. [ME. naiten , nayten , njōta , use: seen a it1, a.] Το use; employ. The burd bowet from the bede, broght hym in haste An ymage full nobill, that he naite shulde. naithle t, adv . A form of nathele . naitlył (nat'li), adv . [ME., All his nauy full nobill naytly were lost, And refte fro the rynke. IMG:content-1193.png:[blocks in formation]