Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A fan-shaped tenon that forms a tight interlocking joint when fitted into a corresponding mortise.
- noun A joint formed by interlocking one or more such tenons and mortises.
- intransitive verb To cut into or join by means of dovetails.
- intransitive verb To connect or combine precisely or harmoniously.
- intransitive verb To be joined together by means of dovetails.
- intransitive verb To combine or interlock into a unified whole.
from The Century Dictionary.
- To unite by tenons in the form of a pigeon's tail spread let into corresponding mortises in a board or timber: as, to
dovetail the angles of a box. - Figuratively, to unite closely, as if by dovetails; fit or adjust exactly and firmly; adapt, as one institution to another, so that they work together smoothly and harmoniously.
- noun In carpentry, a tenon cut in the form of a dove's tail spread, or of a reversed wedge; a manner of fastening boards or timbers together by letting tenons so cut on one into corresponding cavities or mortises in another.
- noun plural Two irons, one with a flange, the other with a recess, cut to a taper: used to hold carriage-doors in position.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun (Carp.) A flaring tenon, or tongue (shaped like a bird's tail spread), and a mortise, or socket, into which it fits tightly, making an interlocking joint between two pieces which resists pulling a part in all directions except one.
- noun (Arch.) a molding of any convex section arranged in a sort of zigzag, like a series of dovetails.
- noun (Carp.) a saw used in dovetailing.
- transitive verb To cut to a dovetail.
- transitive verb To join by means of dovetails.
- transitive verb To fit in or connect strongly, skillfully, or nicely; to fit ingeniously or complexly.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun woodworking A type of
joint where adjoiningboards are fastened byinterlocking fan -shaped cutouts. - verb woodworking To unite with a dovetail joint.
- verb To fit
together well.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun a mortise joint formed by interlocking tenons and mortises
- verb fit together tightly, as if by means of a dovetail
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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A thru single dovetail_, Fig. 267, is similar to a slip-joint except that instead of a tenon there is a dovetail.
Handwork in Wood William Noyes
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First, check the drawers to make sure they contain dovetail joints, which complement the natural strength of the wood.
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I agree with John the dovetail is a perfect joint the way it works is genius, (when done right) I either need someone to coach me on a different way to get a good dovetail (everytime) or change.
Mandolin Cafe News 2009
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I agree with John the dovetail is a perfect joint the way it works is genius, (when done right) I either need someone to coach me on a different way to get a good dovetail (everytime) or change.
Mandolin Cafe News 2009
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I agree with John the dovetail is a perfect joint the way it works is genius, (when done right) I either need someone to coach me on a different way to get a good dovetail (everytime) or change.
Mandolin Cafe News 2009
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I agree with John the dovetail is a perfect joint the way it works is genius, (when done right) I either need someone to coach me on a different way to get a good dovetail (everytime) or change.
Mandolin Cafe News 2009
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All quality dressers should be made out of wood-on-wood joints such as dovetail and doweling joints.
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They all kind of dovetail and make up a story that's bizarre but ...
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Heals has lovely wool and mohair "dovetail" rugs in two-tone pinks (4,450 pounds; heals. co.uk).
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And just to kind of dovetail on what Renee was talking about a little bit about the Stockholm syndrome -- I was a hostage negotiator for 22 years, and this is, you know, something we talk about now and then and just kick it around.
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