What is a Tailgate?

Question

I am in the UK - but what is a Tailgate in American terms with reference to a car?

Answer 1

tail·gate
1. A hinged board or closure at the rear of a vehicle, such as a pick-up truck, that can be lowered during loading and unloading. Also called tailboard.

Also:
To follow another vehicle too closely. (this is how we use it in the UK - driving up someones **** lol)

Answer 2

Well you guys are kinda right but not really.

A tailgate is normally the door on the back end of the pickup truck that when it is open it lays flat. This is where the tailgate parties come in the picture. Everyone parks their pickup trucks backed up close to each other with a keg of beer and a BBQ and everyone sets on the tailgates and have a good time.

We as well call someone driving too close behind you a tailgater because they are right up on your tailgate.

Answer 3

The tailgate , sometimes called the hatch, is a door on the back of a vehicle that can be moved up or down, such as on a pick-up truck or hatchback.

It has given rise to the term tailgating for following vehicles who get too close to the rear of a vehicle.

Answer 4

Think of an estate wagon. Americans call the station wagons. The back door opens downward to a horizontal plane. Americans call it a tailgate. it is useful as a table when you are feeding people. Hence, the tailgate parties in the carparks at football games.

Answer 5

well... a tailgate is the door on the back end of a pickup truck. it swings down to allow easier access to the bed of the truck.

and... when people go to sporting events they like to "tailgate" which means have parties at their vehicles.

Tailgating can also mean when you're driving to damn close the car in front of you!

hope this helps.

Answer 6

In Americal English (to) tailgate means to drive too closely behind the vehicle in front.

Answer 7

*A* tailgate is in reference to a small truck (lorry) - it's the piece you drop down in the back of the bed to load the vehicle.

*TO* tailgate means to follow too closely. (You're too close to the tailgate, I guess.)

Answer 8

the back of a truck that folds down.....sports fans have tailgate parties before and after a football game where they pull out a bbq grill and beers....they sit on their tailgate while they party......

Answer 9

when a car rides really close to ure bumper and it aloso means at sports events they sit around in the parking lot before a game and grill out and get drunk and what not also it is the part of a truck thats opens to allow easy acess to the bed of the truck

Answer 10

The tail gate actually refers to a truck, and it is the "door" that swings open so you can have wood or anything else longer than the bed in the back of your truck.