Driving a nail into something with a hammer; also slang for 'doing something perfectly' or 'succeeding at something.'
From Old English nægl, related to German Nagel and Latin unguis. The tool has been used for thousands of years. The slang usage developed in 20th-century American English.
Archaeological evidence shows that bronze nails were used in ancient Egypt, and iron nails were so valuable in Roman times that soldiers were sometimes paid in nails. Nails literally built the ancient world!
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