doornail
word
Definition
A doornail is a large, old-fashioned nail used to secure or decorate wooden doors. The word is best known from the saying 'dead as a doornail,' which means very dead or not working at all.
Usage & Nuances
'Doornail' is rare outside the idiom 'dead as a doornail' (completely dead). It's mostly historical or literary. In everyday use, people rarely refer to an actual doornail.
Spanish: clavo de puertaPortuguese (BR): prego da portaPortuguese (PT): prego de portaChinese (Simplified): 门钉Chinese (Traditional): 門釘Hindi: दरवाज़े की कीलArabic: مسمار الباب
Example Sentences
The old door has a big doornail in the center.
basic
A carpenter used a strong doornail to fix the wooden door.
basic
The blacksmith made a new doornail for the gate.
basic
He’s dead as a doornail—there’s no hope at all.
natural
After years without repairs, this phone is as dead as a doornail.
natural
The phrase 'dead as a doornail' shows up in a lot of old books and movies.
natural