Dictionary
1dovetail
noun dove·tail \ˈdəv-ˌtāl\
: a type of joint that is used to connect two pieces of wood together
Full Definition of DOVETAIL
: something resembling a dove's tail; especially : a flaring tenon and a mortise into which it fits tightly making an interlocking joint between two pieces (as of wood)
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First Known Use of DOVETAIL
1573
Rhymes with DOVETAIL
abseil, airmail, all hail, assail, avail, bake sale, bangtail, blackmail, blacktail, bobtail, broadscale, broadtail, bucktail, bud scale, canaille, cattail, chain mail, coattail, cocktail, contrail, curtail, derail, detail, doornail, downscale, ducktail, e-mail, entail, exhale, fan mail, fantail, female, fife rail, fire sale, fishtail, folktale, foresail, foxtail, fresh gale, full-scale, gapped scale, Glendale, gray scale, greenmail, guardrail, Hallel, handrail, hangnail, headsail, hightail, hobnail, horntail, horsetail, impale, inhale, junk mail, Longueuil, lugsail, mainsail, mare's tail, Mondale, moon snail, oxtail, pass-fail, percale, pigtail, pintail, pinwale, plate rail, pot ale, prevail, rattail, regale, resale, rescale, retail, right whale, ringtail, Sangreal, Scottsdale, sea kale, shavetail, shirttail, skysail, slop pail, small-scale, snail mail, soft hail, split rail, springtail, spritsail, square sail, staysail, strong gale, surveil, swordtail, taffrail, tag sale, telltale, third rail, thumbnail, timescale, toenail, topsail, travail, trysail, unnail, unveil, upscale, ventail, voice mail, wage scale, wagtail, wassail, whiptail, white sale, whitetail, white whale, whole gale, wholesale, yard sale
2dovetail
verb
: to join (two pieces of wood) with dovetail joints
: to fit together in a pleasing or satisfying way
Full Definition of DOVETAIL
transitive verb
1
a : to join by means of dovetails b : to cut to a dovetail
2
a : to fit skillfully to form a whole b : to fit together with
intransitive verb
: to fit together into a whole
See dovetail defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of DOVETAIL
circa 1656
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