Noah Webster
Dove-tail
DOVE-TAIL, noun In carpentry, the manner of fastening boards and timbers together by letting one piece into another in the form of a doves tail spread, or wedge reversed, so that it cannot be drawn out. This is the strongest of all the fastenings or jointings.
DOVE-TAIL, verb transitive To unite by a tenon in form of a pigeons tail spread, let into a board or timber.