tail gate
B2Informal, Technical (Automotive), Sports/Leisure
Definition
Meaning
The hinged door at the rear of a vehicle (especially a pickup truck, van or estate car) that can be opened for loading.
1. To drive too closely behind another vehicle. 2. A social event (tailgate party) held around the open tailgate of a parked vehicle, typically before a sporting event.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word functions as a noun, verb, and compound adjective (e.g., tailgate party). The verb sense (close-following) is figurative, deriving from the idea of one vehicle's front being as close as if attached to the vehicle in front's tailgate.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
As a noun for the vehicle part, 'tailgate' is standard in both. In British English, 'boot lid' or simply 'boot' is more common for cars. The social event (tailgate party) is predominantly an American phenomenon. The verb 'to tailgate' (driving) is used in both.
Connotations
In the US, 'tailgate' strongly connotes pre-game social culture. In the UK, it primarily connotes driving behaviour or a pickup truck component.
Frequency
The noun referring to a car's rear door is significantly more frequent in American English. The verb (driving) has comparable frequency. The 'party' sense is almost exclusive to American English.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[subject] tailgate [object: vehicle][subject] open/lower/close the tailgateVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Don't tailgate!”
- “Let's tailgate before the game.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in automotive sales or logistics (e.g., 'The model features a hands-free power tailgate').
Academic
Rare, could appear in transportation safety studies (e.g., 'Studies on tailgating behaviour').
Everyday
Common: discussing driving, loading a vehicle, or (in the US) social plans before sports.
Technical
Common in automotive engineering, vehicle manuals, and highway safety regulations.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- That lorry is tailgating me dangerously on the motorway.
- I got a ticket for tailgating.
American English
- Don't tailgate me, I'm already going the speed limit!
- He's always tailgating in the fast lane.
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverbial use)
- (No standard adverbial use)
American English
- (No standard adverbial use)
- (No standard adverbial use)
adjective
British English
- We had a small tailgate gathering before the rugby match. (less common)
- Tailgate safety sensors are now standard.
American English
- We're planning a huge tailgate party before the football game.
- He brought his famous tailgate chilli.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The boxes are in the back. Please open the tailgate.
- That red car is driving too close!
- We loaded the bicycles onto the pickup's tailgate.
- It's dangerous to tailgate, especially in the rain.
- The new van features a tailgate that opens automatically with a foot motion.
- Aggressive driving behaviours like tailgating are a major cause of accidents.
- The cultural phenomenon of the American tailgate party involves elaborate food, drinks, and games in stadium car parks.
- Legislation was introduced to penalise drivers caught tailgating via camera evidence.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the TAIL end of the vehicle and a GATE that opens there. A driver 'tailgating' is stuck to that gate.
Conceptual Metaphor
PROXIMITY IS ATTACHMENT (for the verb: the following car is metaphorically 'attached' to the lead car's tailgate).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid literal translation as 'хвостовые ворота'. Use 'дверь багажника' (car boot) or 'задний борт' (truck). For the verb, use 'ехать вплотную' or 'буксовать' (colloquial).
Common Mistakes
- Writing as two words ('tail gate') is often considered incorrect for modern usage. Confusing 'tailgate' (vehicle) with 'hatchback' (type of car).
Practice
Quiz
Which of these is the PRIMARY meaning of 'tailgate' as a verb?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In modern standard English, it is almost always written as one word: 'tailgate'. The two-word form 'tail gate' is considered archaic or incorrect for most uses.
While technically possible, it's less common for saloon/sedan cars. For cars, 'boot lid' (UK) or 'trunk lid' (US) is more precise. 'Tailgate' is standard for hatchbacks, estates, SUVs, vans, and pickup trucks.
'Tailgating' is dangerously close following, often aggressive or unintentional. 'Drafting' (or slipstreaming) is a strategic technique used in racing to reduce air resistance by driving very close behind another car; it is context-specific and not for normal road use.
No, while most iconic with American football, tailgate parties are also common before baseball, hockey, and college sports events in the US. The concept is spreading to other sports and countries but remains culturally central to the US.