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DictionarydoornailDoor nail
noun

doornail

DOR-nayl/ˈdɔːrneɪl/

A nail used in a door.

A large iron doornail holds the wooden boards in place.

A heavy square-headed iron nail driven through a thick old wooden door plank.
Etymology
doorMiddle Englishdoor, gate
+nailOld Englishmetal pin

A doornail was a large-headed nail studding a door for strength or ornament. “Dead as a doornail” is recorded as early as the word itself; the object also served as a comparison for muteness.

In context

SpitzPrincipal4'1:38
as dead as a doornail
'Scrooge' (Alistair Sim, 1961) Colorized, 1080p, 60 fps.1 hr, 26 min.

More examples

  • The carpenter hammers a doornail into the heavy door.
  • Several rusty doornails line the edge of the old door.
  • My phone is as dead as a doornail.

Forms

doornail · doornails

Similar words

nail
A broader term for fasteners, not specifically those in doors.
stud
Often emphasizes a projecting head used for decoration or reinforcement.