hangnail
pronunciation
How to pronounce hangnail in British English:
UK [ˈhæŋneɪl]
How to pronounce hangnail in American English:
US [ˈhæŋˌnel]
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- Noun:
- a loose narrow strip of skin near the base of a fingernail; tearing it produces a painful sore that is easily infected
Word Origin
- hangnail (n.)
- also hang-nail, 1670s, probably folk etymology alteration (as if from hang (v.) + (finger) nail) of Middle English agnail, angnail, from Old English agnail, angnail "a corn on the foot," perhaps literally a "painful spike" (in the flesh), from Proto-Germanic *ang- "compressed, hard, painful" (from PIE *angh- "tight, painfully constricted, painful;" see anger) + Old English nægl "spike" (see nail (n.)). Compare Old English angnes "anxiety, trouble, pain, fear," angset "eruption, pustule."
Example
- 1. Sometimes , excessive finger cuticle and hangnail , and some people can not help but chaos pulling all likelihood , will be torn bleeding .