Last Updated：2025/11/20

(idiomatic, chiefly in the negative, with can't/cannot) To understand even minimally. / To determine to be good or bad.

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make head or tail of

Source Word

make head or tail of

Verb

idiomatic in the negative with can't cannot

(idiomatic, chiefly in the negative, with can't/cannot) To understand even minimally. / To determine to be good or bad.

Japanese Meaning

（主に否定文で）少しでも理解する、全くとも理解できない、という意味で使われる。 / 対象の物事の良し悪し・価値を判断するという意味も含む。

I can't make head or tail of his handwriting.

彼の字は全く読めない。

Sense（1）

(idiomatic, chiefly in the negative, with can't/cannot) To understand even minimally.

See if you can make head or tail of the last section in this chapter. I'm baffled.

Sense（2）

To determine to be good or bad.

make head

（ canonical ）

makes head or tail of

（ present singular third-person ）

making head or tail of

（ participle present ）

made head or tail of

（ participle past ）

made head or tail of

（ past ）