Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

on the nail

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.21 in modern English

Syllables
on the -nail
IPA
12
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
2
Syllables
8
Unique Chars

Meaning

prep_phrase

Immediately, without delay.

British usage

prep_phrase

Exactly.

British usage

Example Sentences

Etymology

Allegedly from the tradition of striking bargains by placing cash on the nails in Bristol, Limerick and Liverpool. The Oxford English Dictionary, however, cites an Anglo-Norman phrase from c. 1360, "payer sur le ungle" to pay on the (finger)nail meaning "to pay immediately and in full", and the Latin "ad unguem", exactly. It quotes parallel usages from 17th century French, Dutch and German sources and adds that "N.E.D. (1906) notes that: ‘the explanations associating it with certain pillars at the Exchange of Limerick or Bristol are too late to be of any authority in deciding the question’."

Usage

Phrases

hit the nail on the head

Frequently Paired Words

hit the nail on the head

Synonyms

on the double on the dot

Questions

What does on the nail mean?
Immediately, without delay.
Where does on the nail come from?
Allegedly from the tradition of striking bargains by placing cash on the nails in Bristol, Limerick and Liverpool. The Oxford English Dictionary, however, cites an Anglo-Norman phrase from c. 1360, "payer sur le ungle" to pay on the (finger)nail meaning "to pay immediately and in full", and the Latin "ad unguem", exactly. It quotes parallel usages from 17th century French, Dutch and German sources and adds that "N.E.D. (1906) notes that: ‘the explanations associating it with certain pillars at the Exchange of Limerick or Bristol are too late to be of any authority in deciding the question’."

How to pronounce on the nail

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “on the nail”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “on the nail”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “on the nail” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.