Animal rescuers failed to save a whale stranded on an island in the Netherlands. Photo: Salko de Wolf/ AFP
Today's Phrase
The tail end means the very end, or final part of something.
Examples:
The tail end of the storm caused the most damage.
She didn't thank her colleagues until the tail end of her long leaving speech.
We didn't find out the name of the killer until the tail end of the story.
Take note
If you leave somewhere with your tail between your legs, you leave feeling ashamed and embarrassed because you have failed or because you have made a mistake.
Example:
Tom left the meeting with his tail between his legs after failing to impress the staff with his plans for the future.
Interesting fact
Whale tails have a distinct pattern on their underside, much like our fingerprints.
