Nale vs. Nail — Which is Correct Spelling?
Edited by Maham Liaqat — By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on April 28, 2024
"Nale" is the incorrect spelling of "nail," which refers to a small metal spike driven into wood or another material.
Table of Contents
Which is correct: Nale or Nail
How to spell Nail?
Nale
Incorrect Spelling
Nail
Correct Spelling
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Key Differences
"Nail" contains an "i," think of the "i" as the narrow part of the nail's shaft.
Visualize the shape of a nail, which is straight and pointed, to correlate with the straight, simple spelling.
Focus on the phrase "nail it," which helps in remembering the correct spelling.
Remember, "nail" is used in many idioms (e.g., "hit the nail on the head"), which can help solidify the spelling.
The word "nail" rhymes with "mail," which can be a mnemonic to remember the correct spelling.
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How Do You Spell Nail Correctly?
Incorrect: The nale came loose from the wall.
Correct: The nail came loose from the wall.
Incorrect: She found a bent nale on the floor.
Correct: She found a bent nail on the floor.
Incorrect: He used a small nale to hang the picture.
Correct: He used a small nail to hang the picture.
Incorrect: He hammered the nale into the wood.
Correct: He hammered the nail into the wood.
Nail Definitions
To perform something with precision and success.
She nailed her presentation at the conference.
A hard, horny covering on the upper surface of the tip of fingers and toes in humans.
She broke a nail during the basketball game.
A slim, pointed piece of metal hammered into material as a fastener.
A fingernail or toenail.
A claw or talon.
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).
To fasten, join, or attach with or as if with a nail.
To cover, enclose, or shut by fastening with nails
Nail up a window.
To keep fixed, motionless, or intent
Fear nailed me to my seat.
To stop and seize; catch
Police nailed the suspect.
To detect and expose
Nailed the senator in a lie.
Nail corruption before it gets out of control.
To strike or bring down
Nail a bird in flight.
Nail a running back.
To perform successfully or have noteworthy success in
Nailed the dive.
Nailed the exam.
(Baseball) To put out (a base runner).
Vulgar Slang To have sexual intercourse with.
The thin, horny plate at the ends of fingers and toes on humans and some other animals.
When I'm nervous I bite my nails.
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.
He nailed the placard to the post.
(intransitive) To drive a nail.
He used the ax head for nailing.
(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.
I really nailed that test.
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.
His nayles like a briddes claws were.
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.
He is now dead, and nailed in his chest.
To stud or boss with nails, or as with nails.
The rivets of your arms were nailed with gold.
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.
When they came to talk of places in town, you saw at once how I nailed them.
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;
Nail the board onto the wall
Take into custody;
The police nabbed the suspected criminals
Hit hard;
He smashed a 3-run homer
Succeed in obtaining a position;
He nailed down a spot at Harvard
Succeed at easily;
She sailed through her exams
You will pass with flying colors
She nailed her astrophysics course
Locate exactly;
Can you pinpoint the position of the enemy?
The chemists could not nail the identity of the chromosome
Complete a pass
A small metal spike with a broadened flat head, driven into wood to join things together.
He used a nail to fix the frame to the wall.
To catch or detain someone in the act of doing something, especially illegal.
The police nailed the thief as he was escaping.
To secure or achieve something decisively.
He nailed the job interview and was offered the position immediately.
Nail Meaning in a Sentence
The picture fell because the nail was not hammered in properly.
I broke a nail while trying to open the jar.
He needs a hammer and a nail to fix the shelf.
He painted the nail to prevent it from rusting.
Her nail grew long and needed trimming.
That nail in the wall holds up my favorite painting.
Make sure the nail is straight when you hammer it.
The carpenter used a nail to join the two pieces of wood.
She managed to nail every question in the quiz.
The nail salon offers a variety of services.
They used a nail gun for faster construction.
He found a nail on the road while jogging.
She accidentally stepped on a nail and hurt her foot.
The nail on her pinky finger is chipped.
She used a nail file to smooth the edges of her nails.
A nail is essential for hanging heavy frames securely.
The nail stuck out dangerously from the board.
Nail Idioms & Phrases
Hit the nail on the head
To describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem.
You hit the nail on the head when you said the issue was poor communication.
On the nail
To pay immediately, especially in cash.
He insisted on paying on the nail for the services rendered.
Nail up
To attach or seal with nails.
He nailed up the broken window to keep the cold out.
Dead as a doornail
Completely dead or devoid of life.
That old lawn mower is dead as a doornail.
Spike one’s guns
To thwart someone's plans thoroughly. (Uses "spike," a synonym for nail).
His rival's unexpected move effectively spiked his guns.
Nail-biter
A situation, especially a sports event, whose outcome is suspenseful or uncertain until the very end.
The championship game turned out to be a real nail-biter.
Nail in the coffin
An action or event regarded as leading inevitably to the failure or end of something.
His latest scandal was the final nail in the coffin of his career.
Fight tooth and nail
To try very hard to get something you want.
He fought tooth and nail to get that promotion.
Nail down
To make something certain or final.
Let's nail down the dates for our next meeting.
To nail one’s colors to the mast
To publicly show one's intentions or beliefs.
He nailed his colors to the mast by supporting the reform policies.
Pay on the nail
Similar to "on the nail," meaning to pay promptly and in full.
She always pays on the nail, never owing anyone anything.
Nail-biting finish
A conclusion so suspenseful that it causes anxiety or nervous tension.
The match had a nail-biting finish, with the winning goal scored in the last minute.
Nail a lie
To expose a falsehood effectively.
The journalist nailed the lie in the politician’s statement.
Nail to the counter
To expose a lie or deception conclusively.
His argument was so sound, it nailed the opposition's lies to the counter.
Nail it down
To finalize or secure something.
Once we nail it down, we can start making the necessary arrangements.
Nail one’s hand to the mast
To commit oneself irrevocably.
By turning down the offer, he effectively nailed his hand to the mast.
Common Curiosities
How do we divide nail into syllables?
Nail is a single syllable word, so it is not divided.
What part of speech is nail?
Nail is both a noun and a verb.
How is nail used in a sentence?
Nail is commonly used as a noun referring to a small metal spike, or as a verb meaning to fasten with a nail or succeed excellently in an endeavor.
What is the first form of nail?
The first form of "nail" is "nail," used in the present tense.
What is a stressed syllable in nail?
Since "nail" is a single syllable word, the entire word is stressed.
What is the pronunciation of nail?
Nail is pronounced as /neɪl/.
Why is it called nail?
The term "nail" comes from the Old English word "naegel," related to the tool for fastening materials.
How many syllables are in nail?
Nail has one syllable.
Is nail an adverb?
No, nail is not an adverb.
What is the root word of nail?
The root word of "nail" is the Old English word "naegel."
What is the opposite of nail?
An opposite concept for "nail" (verb) might be "unfasten" or "detach."
Is nail an abstract noun?
No, nail is a concrete noun, describing a physical object.
Is nail a countable noun?
Yes, nail is a countable noun.
Is the word nail Gerund?
The gerund form of "nail" is "nailing."
Is the word “nail” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
In sentences, "nail" can be used as a direct object, e.g., "He hammered a nail."
What is the verb form of nail?
The verb form of "nail" is "nail" for the present, "nailed" for the past, and "nailing" for the present participle.
What is the second form of nail?
The second form of "nail" is "nailed," used in the past tense.
What is the singular form of nail?
The singular form is "nail."
Which vowel is used before nail?
The vowel "a" is commonly used before "nail," as in "a nail."
What is the third form of nail?
The third form of "nail" is "nailed," used as the past participle.
What is the plural form of nail?
The plural form is "nails."
Is nail a negative or positive word?
The word "nail" is neutral; it is neither inherently negative nor positive.
Is nail a collective noun?
No, nail is not a collective noun.
Is the nail term a metaphor?
Nail can be used metaphorically, especially in phrases like "hit the nail on the head."
What is another term for nail?
Another term for "nail" is "tack" (as a noun) or "spike."
Is nail a vowel or consonant?
The word "nail" begins with a consonant.
Which determiner is used with nail?
Determiners such as "a," "the," or "some" can be used with nail, e.g., "a nail," "the nail."
Is nail a noun or adjective?
Nail is primarily a noun but also serves as a verb.
Is the word nail imperative?
The verb form of "nail" can be used in an imperative mood, such as in instructions or commands.
Which preposition is used with nail?
Common prepositions used with "nail" include "into," "with," and "on," as in "nail into the wall," "hit with a nail," "hang on a nail."
Which conjunction is used with nail?
Conjunctions such as "and" or "but" can be used, as in "nails and screws" or "nail but do not glue."
Which article is used with nail?
The indefinite article "a" is typically used with nail, as in "a nail."
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Maham Liaqat
