tack

¹ American  

[tak] / tæk /

noun

1. a short, sharp-pointed nail, usually with a flat, broad head.

2. Nautical.

   1. a rope for extending the lower forward corner of a course.

   2. the lower forward corner of a course or fore-and-aft sail.

   3. the heading of a sailing vessel, when sailing close-hauled, with reference to the wind direction.

   4. a course run obliquely against the wind.

   5. one of the series of straight runs that make up the zigzag course of a ship proceeding to windward.

3. a course of action or conduct, especially one differing from some preceding or other course.

4. one of the movements of a zigzag course on land.

5. a stitch, especially a long stitch used in fastening seams, preparatory to a more thorough sewing.

6. a fastening, especially of a temporary kind.

7. stickiness, as of nearly dry paint or glue or of a printing ink or gummed tape; adhesiveness.

8. the gear used in equipping a horse, including saddle, bridle, martingale, etc.

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verb (used with object)

• tacks,
  present (3rd person singular)
• tacked,
  past participle,  past
• tacking
  present participle

1. to fasten by a tack or tacks.

   to tack a rug to the floor.

2. to secure by some slight or temporary fastening.

3. to join together; unite; combine.

4. to attach as something supplementary; append; annex (often followed by on oronto ).

   Synonyms:

   add, fasten, affix

5. Nautical.

   1. to change the course of (a sailing vessel) to the opposite tack.

   2. to navigate (a sailing vessel) by a series of tacks.

6. to equip (a horse) with tack.

verb (used without object)

• tacks,
  present (3rd person singular)
• tacked,
  past participle,  past
• tacking
  present participle

1. Nautical.

   1. to change the course of a sailing vessel by bringing the head into the wind and then causing it to fall off on the other side.

      He ordered us to tack at once.

   2. (of a sailing vessel) to change course in this way.

   3. to proceed to windward by a series of courses as close to the wind as the vessel will sail.

2. to take or follow a zigzag course or route.

3. to change one's course of action, conduct, ideas, etc.

4. to equip a horse with tack (usually followed byup ).

   Please tack up quickly.

idioms

1. on the wrong tack, under a misapprehension; in error; astray.

   His line of questioning began on the wrong tack.

tack ² American  

[tak] / tæk /

noun

1. food; fare.

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tack ³ American  

[tak] / tæk /

noun

Scot. and North England.

1. a lease, especially on farmland.

2. a rented pasture.

3. a catch, haul, or take of fish.

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tack ¹ British  

/ tæk /

noun

1. a short sharp-pointed nail, usually with a flat and comparatively large head

2. a long loose temporary stitch used in dressmaking, etc

3. See tailor's-tack

4. a temporary fastening

5. stickiness, as of newly applied paint, varnish, etc

6. nautical the heading of a vessel sailing to windward, stated in terms of the side of the sail against which the wind is pressing

7. nautical

   1. a course sailed by a sailing vessel with the wind blowing from forward of the beam

   2. one such course or a zigzag pattern of such courses

8. nautical

   1. a sheet for controlling the weather clew of a course

   2. the weather clew itself

9. nautical the forward lower clew of a fore-and-aft sail

10. a course of action differing from some previous course

    he went off on a fresh tack

11. under a false impression

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verb

1. (tr) to secure by a tack or series of tacks

2. to sew (something) with long loose temporary stitches

3. (tr) to attach or append

   tack this letter onto the other papers

4. nautical to change the heading of (a sailing vessel) to the opposite tack

5. nautical to steer (a sailing vessel) on alternate tacks

6. (intr) nautical (of a sailing vessel) to proceed on a different tack or to alternate tacks

7. (intr) to follow a zigzag route; keep changing one's course of action

tack ² British  

/ tæk /

noun

1. 1. riding harness for horses, such as saddles, bridles, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      the tack room

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tack ³ British  

/ tæk /

noun

1. a lease

2. an area of land held on a lease

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tack ⁴ British  

/ tæk /

noun

1. informal food, esp when regarded as inferior or distasteful See also hardtack

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tack More Idioms  

1. see get down to brass tacks; on the right tack; sharp as a tack.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• tacker
  noun
• tackless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• tacking
  present
• tacked
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• tack
  simple
• tacks
  simple
• have tacked
  perfect
• has tacked
  perfect
• am tacking
  progressive
• are tacking
  progressive
• is tacking
  progressive
• have been tacking
  perfect progressive
• has been tacking
  perfect progressive

Past

• tacked
  simple
• had tacked
  perfect
• was tacking
  progressive
• were tacking
  progressive
• had been tacking
  perfect progressive

Future

• will tack
  simple
• will have tacked
  perfect
• will be tacking
  progressive
• will have been tacking
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of tack¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English tak, take, takke “buckle, clasp, nail” (later, “tack”); “protective metal plate (on a cart),” from Old North French taque “back of a chimney”; cognate with German Zacke “prong, point,” Dutch tak “twig, bough”; the verb is derivative of the noun; see tache, attach

Origin of tack²

First recorded in 1740–50; origin uncertain

Origin of tack³

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English tak, takke, tac “fee paid to a lord, customary fee,” from Old Norse tak “hold, grasp, seizure, goods”; see origin at take

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Explanation

A tack is a small, sharp pin or nail with a wide head. You can use tacks to attach your flyers to the telephone poles in your neighborhood. As a verb, tack means "attach using a tack," and also, simply "add," the way a movie director sometimes tacks on a happy ending to satisfy the audience. In sailing, a tack is a change of course that results in the wind blowing on the opposite side of the boat: "We decided to make a sharp tack to avoid the iceberg." Tack can also refer to a certain rope used in sailing, or to horseback riding equipment.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tack tacks tacked tacking

After lunch, and ironically given Warner's words, Australia changed tack completely, with Cummins facing 40 balls before scoring a run as he abandoned any thought of victory with two sessions to go.

From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2026

Da Silva also rapidly changed tack after his first-round loss.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026

You have to wonder if he’ll lose a bit of the arrogance, if the space between Watters’ segments and the network’s chosen tack will grow even wider.

From Salon ● Oct. 25, 2026

Certifications and experience working on data centers and pharmaceutical sites can tack on extra pay, she added.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026

Then I thought, Hey, wait a minute, what if I just tack on the letter s?

From "Because of Mr. Terupt" by Rob Buyea

“Investors are getting down to brass tacks and saying, ‘What do we want to own over the next few months?’”

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 2, 2026

The Georgetown law graduate sharply changed tacks in dealing with his critics, from President Donald Trump on down.

From Barron's ● Jan. 16, 2026

“The major work will happen in the months ahead, when we’ll get down to brass tacks and craft a responsible and balanced budget which will help make California more livable and affordable.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 6, 2025

But when it came to brass tacks, to financial compensation, they were not.

From BBC ● Dec. 18, 2024

“Ah didn’t aim tuh let on tuh yuh ’bout it, leastways not right away, but Ah ruther be shot wid tacks than fuh you tuh act wid me lak you is right now.

From "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston

Lillard nailed the shot from the wing and tacked on a technical free throw when play was stopped for Williams’ flopping call.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026

A fully computer generated dragon is easier to believe than digital or prop wings tacked onto an actor.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026

Jefferson had a solid game, going 14 for 23 through the air with 205 yards and tacked on 65 on the ground.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 12, 2026

At an election rally in the town of Querfurt, 70-year-old Gerd has tacked a small, frayed German flag to the handles of his mobility scooter.

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026

Even though Papi didn’t live with us, he often came to see us and once showed up with strings of red and green electric bulbs, which we tacked around windows and doors.

From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago

A law passed in 2023 prohibits small-business lenders from tacking on certain fees, including a fee for processing a payment on the loan or advance.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026

For example, a coalition of advocacy groups is seeking to prevent Spectrum from tacking on equipment charges for customers on low-income plans.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026

On new loan originations, lenders are tacking a bigger margin on to the base interest rates, especially for larger companies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026

The shipping companies are also tacking on war and fuel surcharges to some of their routes and scrambling to offer pricier on-land options to their customers.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 13, 2026

Once clear of land he brought her around, up into the wind until she was tacking northwest and making a solid six knots.

From "The Voyage Of The Frog" by Gary Paulsen

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Related Words

• affix
• fasten
• nail
• paste
• pin
• stitch

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