Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

spit-nails

noun

/spɪt neɪlz/

Definition

Spit-nails refer to a type of nail that is tapered at one end and is often used for fastening heavy materials together.

Examples

The carpenter used spit-nails to secure the framework.
When building the shed, he discovered the spit-nails were very challenging to drive into the wood.
This project is starting to become a spit-nails problem as I can’t seem to get my materials to stay together.

Meaning

The term ‘spit-nails’ can also refer to a figurative expression used to describe something that is particularly stubborn or difficult to deal with, likening it to the troublesome nature of dealing with nails that are hard to drive in or remove.