dove-tail

See also: dovetail

English

Noun

dove-tail (plural dove-tails)

1. Alternative form of dovetail
   • 1694, John Narborough, Jasmen Tasman [i.e., Abel Tasman], John Wood, Frederick Marten [i.e., Friedrich Martens], “[The Voyage into Spitzbergen and Greenland] Of the Crustaceous Fish that I Observed”, in [probably Tancred Robinson], editor, An Account of Several Late Voyages & Discoveries to the South and North. […], London: […] Sam[uel] Smith and Benj[amin] Walford, printers to the Royal Society, […], →OCLC, 4th part, section V (Of the Star-fish), pages 118–119:

     Beſides this, another fine Starfiſh came to my Hands, […] Its body hath ten corners, and it hath a Star above vvith as many Rays; each of theſe one may compare unto a Sail of the VVindmills that the Children run againſt the VVind vvithal, or to a piece of ſuch Croſſes that are broad before, and narrovv vvhere they meet together; that is to ſay, of the ſhape of a Dove-tail: […]

   • 1722, Alexander Nisbet, “Of the Points and Parts of the Shield; and Forms of Lines, which Divide the Shield into Several Parts”, in A System of Heraldry Speculative and Practical: […], Edinburgh: […] J. MackEuen, →OCLC, page 23:

     I ſhall add other tvvo Forms of Lines, […] The firſt of theſe tvvo is termed Patee, or Dove-Tail, from a Form of Art uſed by Joiners, vvho make Joints one into the other by that Name: […]

   • 1733, Philip Miller, “WINE-PRESS”, in The Gardeners Dictionary: […], 2nd edition, volume I, London: […] C[harles] Rivington, […], →OCLC, column 1:

     [T]heſe muſt be joined at Bottom to the Piles by a ſtrong Dove-tail, and the Piles joined vvith Braces; […]

Verb

dove-tail (third-person singular simple present dove-tails, present participle dove-tailing, simple past and past participle dove-tailed)

1. Alternative form of dovetail
   • 1733, Philip Miller, “WINE-PRESS”, in The Gardeners Dictionary: […], 2nd edition, volume I, London: […] C[harles] Rivington, […], →OCLC, column 2:

     [T]heſe Piles ought to be placed contrary to the Stillings, vvhich ſurround or croſs them every three Feet, and Dove-tail'd into the ſquare Supporters; […]