From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishon the nailon the naila) British EnglishPAY FOR if you pay money on the nail, you pay it immediately b) especially American EnglishCORRECT completely correct They got it absolutely on the nail. → nail
Examples from the Corpus
on the nail• I bet they paid their £1.80 on the nail when they got the magazine.• The Tories got it absolutely on the nail.• The first one mounted the runway and briskly walked its length, barefoot on the nail points.• She brought the hammer down on the nail.• The lavatories also had a birthday, and Dad left ours unlocked with plenty of fresh newspaper on the nail.• Not paying on the nail could be extremely expensive. 