• IPA: /ɛnˈteɪl/, /ɪnˈteɪl/, /ənˈteɪl/

entail (entails, present participle entailing; past and past participle entailed)

1. (transitive) To imply or require.

   This activity will entail careful attention to detail.

2. (transitive) To settle or fix inalienably on a person or thing, or on a person and his descendants or a certain line of descendants; -- said especially of an estate; to bestow as a heritage.

   • Allowing them to entail their estates.

   • c. 1591–1592, William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act I, scene i]:

     I here entail The crown to thee and to thine heirs forever.

3. (transitive, obsolete) To appoint hereditary possessor.
   • c. 1591–1592, William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act I, scene i]:

     To entail him and his heirs unto the crown.

4. (transitive, obsolete) To cut or carve in an ornamental way.

   • Entailed with curious antics.

• French: comporter, impliquer, requérir
• German: bedingen, mit sich bringen, nach sich ziehen, verursachen
• Italian: comportare, implicare
• Portuguese: implicar, pressupor, requerer
• Russian: тре́бовать
• Spanish: conllevar

• French: conférer, accorder
• German: als unveräußerliches Gut vererben

entail (plural entails)

1. That which is entailed. Hence:
   1. An estate in fee entailed, or limited in descent to a particular class of issue.
   2. The rule by which the descent is fixed.

   • A power of breaking the ancient entails, and of alienating their estates.

2. (obsolete) Delicately carved ornamental work; intaglio.

   • A work of rich entail.

• French: entail