tailing

noun

tail·​ing ˈtā-liŋ 

1

: residue separated in the preparation of various products (such as grain or ores)

—usually used in plural

2

: the part of a projecting stone or brick inserted in a wall

Synonyms

• chase
• chasing
• dogging
• following
• hounding
• pursuing
• pursuit
• shadowing
• tagging
• tracing
• tracking
• trailing

Examples of tailing in a Sentence

the reporter's constant tailing of the candidate resulted in an exclusive scoop

Recent Examples on the Web

As of June 2019, the tailings facilities at the mine pictured here held 154 million cubic metres of tailings. —Amit Katwala, WIRED, 27 Oct. 2019

And even before receiving official greenlights (expected by yearend) Perpetua has spent $17 million on conservation work, including moving 325,000 tons of old mine tailings away from waterways. —Christopher Helman, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024

Effective management of solid waste, including slag and tailings, is crucial to mitigating long-term environmental damage. —Sahit Muja, Forbes, 19 Sep. 2024

Such natural weathering already occurs in mine tailings, the waste left over from certain mining operations. —Fred Krupp, Foreign Affairs, 12 Feb. 2019

Word History

First Known Use

1764, in the meaning defined at sense 1