shirttail

[ shurt-teyl ]
/ ˈʃɜrtˌteɪl /

noun

the part of a shirt below the waistline.
Journalism. a brief item added at the end of a related newspaper story. Compare follow-up(def 3b).

adjective

quite young and immature in behavior.
Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S. of distant relation, especially by marriage: some shirttail cousins I'd never met.

verb (used with object)

Informal. to append or add (an item) to a discussion or writing: The tariff concessions were shirttailed onto the trade bill.

Origin of shirttail

An Americanism dating back to 1835–45; shirt + tail1

Words nearby shirttail

shirtband, shirtdress, shirting, shirtmaker, shirtsleeve, shirttail, shirtwaist, shirtwaister, shirty, shiré, shish kebab

Example sentences from the Web for shirttail

  • Tom opened one of the containers of water and dipped his shirttail into it.

    Stand by for Mars! |Carey Rockwell

  • Then Penelope hobbled up and pulled Mark's shirttail out of his trousers.

    You Too Can Be A Millionaire |Noel Miller Loomis