Pronunciation: /ˈteɪlɪŋ/

Definitions of tailing

noun the act of following someone or something closely

Example Sentences

A1 I saw a cat chasing its tail.

A2 The detective was following the suspect's tailing.

B1 The company hired a private investigator to do some tailing on their competitor.

B2 The journalist was accused of tailing a celebrity to get a story.

C1 The espionage agency had a team dedicated to tailing high-profile targets.

C2 The art thief was caught red-handed while tailing a valuable painting.

adjective pertaining to the act of following closely behind

Example Sentences

A1 The tailing cat followed me home.

A2 I saw a tailing shadow behind me as I walked down the street.

B1 The detective noticed the tailing car behind the suspect.

B2 The tailing paparazzi were relentless in their pursuit of the celebrity.

C1 The tailing helicopter provided aerial surveillance for the police operation.

C2 The tailing submarine silently tracked the enemy vessel through the depths of the ocean.

Examples of tailing in a Sentence

formal The detective was tailing the suspect to gather more evidence.

informal I saw a car tailing us on the highway last night.

slang I can't believe that guy is still tailing his ex-girlfriend, he needs to move on.

figurative The shadow of doubt was tailing him wherever he went.

Grammatical Forms of tailing

past tense

tailed

plural

tailings

comparative

more tailing

superlative

most tailing

present tense

tail

future tense

will tail

perfect tense

have tailed

continuous tense

is tailing

singular

tailing

positive degree

tailing

infinitive

to tail

gerund

tailing

participle

tailed

Origin and Evolution of tailing

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Old English
Story behind the word: The word 'tailing' originated from the Old English word 'tægl', which meant 'train' or 'track'. It evolved over time to refer to the act of following or trailing behind someone or something.
Evolution of the word: Initially used to describe physical tracking or following, 'tailing' has evolved to also refer to the act of closely monitoring or observing someone or something, especially in a covert or secretive manner.