dovetail
Other forms: dovetailed; dovetails; dovetailing
A dovetail is a joint in woodworking where two sides are fitted together with interlocking pieces. You can also use the word dovetail to show how other things fit well together — like how your picnic plans nicely dovetail with the sunny forecast.
A well-made dovetail is a beautiful thing, with wooden projections that slide into notches perfectly, the two sides forming a corner. When things fit this way, you can say they dovetail — they fit easily and work well together. Your plan to dress up as a Jedi knight dovetails well with your brother's Darth Vader costume, for example. Dovetails got their name from the tail feather-like shape of the joint's pieces.
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a mortise joint formed by interlocking tenons and mortisessynonyms: dovetail jointtype of:mortise joint, mortise-and-tenon jointa joint made by inserting tenon on one piece into mortise holes in the other
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fit together tightly, as if by means of a dovetailtype of:fitmake fit
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Vocabulary lists containing dovetail
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