hangnail

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

hangnail
    n 1: a loose narrow strip of skin near the base of a fingernail;
         tearing it produces a painful sore that is easily infected
         [syn: {hangnail}, {agnail}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Hangnail \Hang"nail`\ (-n[=a]l`), n. [A corruption of agnail.]
   A small piece or sliver of skin which hangs loose, near the
   root of a finger nail. --Holloway.
   [1913 Webster]

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