Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A small piece of dead skin at the side or the base of a fingernail that is partly detached from the rest of the skin.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. A small separate piece of hard, partly detached epidermis at the root or side of a nail. Hangnails often persistently renew themselves after they are cut.
Wiktionary
- n. A loose, narrow strip of nail tissue protruding from the side edge and anchored near the base of a fingernail or toenail.
- n. A pointed upper corner of the toenail (often created by improperly trimming by rounding the corner) that, as the nail grows, presses into the flesh or protrudes so that it may catch (“hang”) on stockings or shoes.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. A small piece or sliver of skin which hangs loose, near the root of a finger nail.
WordNet 3.0
- n. a loose narrow strip of skin near the base of a fingernail; tearing it produces a painful sore that is easily infected
Etymologies
- Alteration of agnail (influenced by hang).
Examples
“You will never hear me say * Damn, this hangnail is killing me* ever again.”
“Eric is also a polymath ( "he mastered the steepest matters in half an afternoon") who studies Einstein's special theory in both German and English, reads poetry, contemplates the Middle English roots of the word "hangnail" and works out faithfully (a universal trait of the protagonists of cheap thrillers).”
“I used the term "hangnail" cause Heidi on FOX31 said it on the air during her review of a Ministry of Pot segment ..”
“But companies in the individual market also want to avoid even marginal risk -- adopting a practice some insiders call hangnail underwriting. ”
“I must have known it all along, but when it came outblunt and indignant, but also vulnerable, self-diminishing, comparing herself with a hangnail or a split hair!”
“Asking about a hangnail would be “a little crazier” than asking about a truth commission.”
Matthew Yglesias » MSM Derides Bloggers For Asking Hypothetical Bad Question
“If you get a hangnail, cut it cleanly with a cuticle scissor, but don't pick at it.”
USA Today: Protecting the health of your nails for a polished look
“All that can come of this next bad fiasco is me paying more for health insurance, as I don't want to fund anyones abortions, nor do I need a cover all plan dreamed up by some congressman who bumps military members out of the doctors office any time they need to be seen for as little as a hangnail!”
House Democrats agree on health-care position, chairman says
“All you Americans ever hear about our system seems to come from bad mouthing people who complain about a hangnail!”
“I would not amount to much more than a hangnail or a stray whisker compared to Bob Howard.”
Lists
‘hangnail’ hasn't been added to any lists yet.
PossibleUnderscore I have them all the time (just not quite as long as in the picture)! They're as painful as they look. May 27, 2010
plethora Just looking at that picture makes my fingers hurt. Ouch. May 27, 2010