tail /teɪl/► SEE ALLon sb’s tail(at) the tail end (of sth)the tail (is) wagging the dogturn tail (and run, flee, etc.)with your tail between your legschase your (own) tailcan’t make head or/nor tail of sthnose to taila sting in the tailtop and tail sthin two shakesin a couple of shakes ●on sb’s ˈtail (informal) (of the police, a spy, etc.警察、间谍等) following behind sb very closely跟踪；尾随◆I had the feeling there was someone on my tail. 我感觉到有人在跟踪我。●(at) the tail ˈend (of sth)(at) the final or last part (of sth)（在…的）末尾，结尾，最后◆I didn’t hear most of the conversation — I only came in at the tail end. 谈话的大部分我都没有听到，我来时谈话已接近尾声了。●the tail (is) wagging the ˈdog ( let the tail wag the ˈdog) used to describe a situation where a small, unimportant thing controls a larger, more important thing本末倒置；喧宾夺主◆In this company the workers tell the manager what he can and cannot do. It’s a real case of the tail wagging the dog. 这家公司里是雇员规定经理的职权范围，真是上下颠倒。●turn ˈtail (and run, flee, etc.)run away from a fight or a dangerous situation（打斗中或危急时刻）转身逃跑，临阵脱逃◆As soon as he saw the police he turned tail and fled. 一看到警察来了，他转身就跑掉了。●with your tail between your ˈlegs (informal) feeling ashamed, embarrassed or unhappy because you have been defeated or punished夹着尾巴；灰溜溜地；垂头丧气地◆They thought they would win easily, but they’ve gone home with their tails between their legs. 他们本以为能够轻易获胜，结果却灰溜溜地回了家。NOTE This idiom refers to the way a dog behaves when it is punished.这个习语原指狗受处罚时的样子。●chase your (own) ˈtailbe very busy but in fact achieve very little无事忙；无谓瞎忙◆In my first month at college I was continually chasing my own tail and being late for everything.上大学的第一个月我总是手忙脚乱，什么事情都迟到。▸ˈtail-chasing
noun
NOTE If a dog or cat chases its tail, it runs round in circles trying to bite its own tail. * chase its tail 指狗或猫绕圈跑，试图去咬自己的尾巴。●can’t make head or/nor ˈtail of sth (informal) not be able to understand sth at all一点儿都不理解；茫无头绪◆I can’t make head or tail of this picture — is it upside down?我看不明白这张画，是拿倒了吧？●ˌnose to ˈtail (BrE) if cars, etc. are nose to tail, they are moving slowly in a long line with little space between them（汽车等）首尾相连（缓缓行进）◆I’m sorry I’m late — the traffic was nose to tail going through the town centre.抱歉，我迟到了。市中心的车挤得一辆接一辆。●a ˌsting in the ˈtail (informal) an unpleasant feature that comes at the end of a story, an event, etc.煞风景的结局；悲剧的结局◆Roald Dahl’s stories often have a sting in the tail; that’s why I like them.罗德 ∙ 达尔的小说结尾往往具悲剧性，那正是我喜欢它们的原因。●ˌtop and ˈtail sth (BrE) cut the top and bottom parts off fruit and vegetables to prepare them to be cooked or eaten去掉（水果或蔬菜的）头尾部分◆There’s no need to top and tail the gooseberries, just steam or bake them with sugar.醋栗不用去两头，只要加糖蒸一下或者烤烤就行了。●in two ˈshakes●in a couple of ˈshakes ( in two ˌshakes of a ˈlamb’s tailold-fashioned) (informal) very soon很快；马上◆I’ve just got to make a phone call. I’ll be with you in two shakes.我还要打个电话，马上就来。