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
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 (Zoöl.), 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. Tail
(Tail), v. t.
1. To follow or hang to, like a tail; to be attached closely to, as that which can not be evaded. [Obs.]
Nevertheless his bond of two thousand pounds, wherewith he was tailed, continued uncanceled, and
was called on the next Parliament.
Fuller. 2. To pull or draw by the tail. [R.] Hudibras.
To tail in or on (Arch.), to fasten by one of the ends into a wall or some other support; as, to tail in a
timber.
Tail
(Tail), v. i.
1. (Arch.) To hold by the end; — said of a timber when it rests upon a wall or other support; — with in
or into.
