coffin nail
- noun
- /ˈkɔfɪn neɪl/
- Archaic
:
cigarrillo
- The doctor warned him that every coffin nail reduces his life expectancy.
Examples
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He stepped outside to have a quick coffin nail during the break.
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I can't believe you still smoke those coffin nails!
-
Back in the day, people used to light up a coffin nail almost anywhere.
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He lit a coffin nail after dinner.
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The doctor warned him that every coffin nail reduces his life expectancy.
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I can't believe you still smoke those coffin nails!
-
He stepped outside to have a quick coffin nail during the break.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
A thin roll of tobacco wrapped in paper that you smoke
11
9.9
A British informal word for a cigarette
10
8.2
A short thin tube of tobacco that people smoke
1
9.9
A cigarette that is strong or harsh to smoke
A thin roll of tobacco wrapped in paper that you smoke
Surface Forms
Morphology
coffin + nail
The headword 'coffin' clearly evokes death, which gives a partial clue that the compound refers to something associated with causing death or harm; however, nothing in the literal meanings of 'coffin' + 'nail' uniquely identifies 'a cigarette'. Recognizing it as a cigarette requires cultural/idiomatic knowledge (smoking as a ‘cause of the coffin’), so the connection is suggestive but not fully predictable to a B1 learner.
Etymology
Coffin nail may come from the nails used to close a coffin. The image is of a small nail that helps close a coffin, so it stands for something that makes death more likely. That's why coffin nail means 'cigarette' and carries the idea of helping someone 'to die'.