on the nail
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
At once; without hesitation; as, "to pay down on the nail." In O'Keefe's Recollections we are told that in the centre of Limerick Exchange is a pillar with a circular plate of copper about 3 ft.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “on the nail” mean?
At once; without hesitation; as, "to pay down on the nail." In O'Keefe's Recollections we are told that in the centre of Limerick Exchange is a pillar with a circular plate of copper about 3 ft.
Is “on the nail” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.