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

The rest, plus any leakage that may get through a tailings pile’s liner, has the potential to pollute groundwater. —Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 19 Dec. 2024

Environmental advocates argue that the risks posed by the project's tailings dams could have dire consequences for the Great Lakes ecosystem and residents living downhill. —Jason Fields, Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2024

In 2019, another Brazilian tailings dam (owned by one of the same companies as the dam that collapsed in 2015) failed. —Kate S. Petersen, USA TODAY, 1 Dec. 2024

The company’s process starts with a hydrometallurgical treatment that separates rare earth elements away from the tailings, which contain iron, aluminum and other common elements. —IEEE Spectrum, 31 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1764, in the meaning defined at sense 1