1 C1 neutral
(Aviation) To fly or sit in a position where the rear of the aircraft is lower than the nose
"On approach, the light aircraft came in tail down and had to abort the landing."
inseparable
tail down
C1 neutral inseparable intransitive
To adopt or describe a position in which the tail (rear end) of an aircraft or vehicle is angled downward
In plain English
When the back of a plane or vehicle is lower than the front
What does "tail down" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 neutral
(Animal behavior) For an animal to lower its tail, typically as a sign of submission or fear
"The dog tailed down and retreated when the larger dog approached."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
The tail (rear end) is pointing down — entirely transparent.
Actually means
When the back of a plane or vehicle is lower than the front
Usage tip
Primarily used in aviation and automotive contexts to describe aircraft attitude or vehicle posture. Also used in animal behavior to describe a dog or other animal lowering its tail. Quite technical outside these contexts.
Words that pair with "tail down"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
aircraft plane attitude landing vehicle posture
How to conjugate "tail down"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
tail down
I/you/we/they
3rd person
tails down
he/she/it
Past simple
tailed down
yesterday
Past participle
tailed down
have + pp
-ing form
tailing down
continuous
Hear "tail down" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "tail down" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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