entail Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun land received by fee tail
  2. noun the act of entailing property; the creation of a fee tail from a fee simple
  3. verb have as a logical consequence
    imply; mean.
    • The water shortage means that we have to stop taking long showers
  4. verb impose, involve, or imply as a necessary accompaniment or result
    implicate.
    • What does this move entail?
  5. verb limit the inheritance of property to a specific class of heirs
    fee-tail.

WordNet

En*tail" noun
Etymology
OE. entaile carving, OF. entaille, F., an incision, fr. entailler to cut away; pref. en- (L. in) + tailler to cut; LL. feudum talliatum a fee entailed, i. e., curtailed or limited. See Tail limitation, Tailor.
Definitions
  1. That which is entailed. Hence: (Law) (a) An estate in fee entailed, or limited in descent to a particular class of issue. (b) The rule by which the descent is fixed.
    A power of breaking the ancient entails, and of alienating their estates. Hume.
  2. Delicately carved ornamental work; intaglio. Obs. "A work of rich entail." Spenser.
En*tail" transitive verb
Etymology
OE. entailen to carve, OF. entailler. See Entail, n.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Entailed; present participle & verbal noun Entailing
Definitions
  1. To settle or fix inalienably on a person or thing, or on a person and his descendants or a certain line of descendants; -- said especially of an estate; to bestow as an heritage.
    Allowing them to entail their estates. Hume.
    I here entail The crown to thee and to thine heirs forever. Shak.
  2. To appoint hereditary possessor. Obs.
    To entail him and his heirs unto the crown. Shak.
  3. To cut or carve in a ornamental way. Obs.
    Entailed with curious antics. Spenser.

Webster 1913