noun
Meaning 1
The tail of a fish, or an object resembling this.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
fishtail
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
-
/ˈfɪʃteɪl/
-
US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
noun
Meaning 2
The skidding of the back of a vehicle from side to side.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 3
A kind of chisel with a flared blade.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 4
Ellipsis of fishtail palm.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 5
To swing the back of a vehicle (originally an aircraft) from side to side.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
- As we approached the runway, the pilot fishtailed slightly to reduce landing speed.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 6
To cause the back of (a vehicle) to swing from side to side.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 7
To move with the tail swinging from side to side in this way.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 8
slow down by moving the tail sideways
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- The airplane fishtailed on the runway
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: decelerate, slow down
History
Etymology
From Middle English fisch tayle, equivalent to fish + tail.
Across languages
Translations
4 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Esperanto: fiŝovosto — The swinging of the back of a vehicle from side to side
- French: queue de poisson — The swinging of the back of a vehicle from side to side
- Spanish: colear — The swinging of the back of a vehicle from side to side
- Spanish: colearse — The swinging of the back of a vehicle from side to side