tackle

American  

[tak-uhl, tey-kuhl] / ˈtæk əl, ˈteɪ kəl /

noun

1. equipment, apparatus, or gear, especially for fishing.

   fishing tackle.

2. a mechanism or apparatus, as a rope and block or a combination of ropes and blocks, for hoisting, lowering, and shifting objects or materials; purchase.

3. any system of leverage using several pulleys.

4. Nautical. the gear and running rigging for handling a ship or performing some task on a ship.

5. an act of tackling, as in football; a seizing, grasping, or bringing down.

6. Football.

   1. either of the linemen stationed between a guard and an end.

   2. the position played by this lineman.

7. (formerly) tack.

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verb (used with object)

tackled, tackling

1. to undertake to handle, master, solve, etc..

   to tackle a difficult problem.

2. to deal with (a person) on some problem, issue, etc.

3. to harness (a horse).

4. Football. to seize, stop, or throw down (a ball-carrier).

5. Soccer, Field Hockey. to block or impede the movement or progress of (an opponent having the ball) with the result of depriving the opponent of the ball.

6. to seize suddenly, especially in order to stop.

verb (used without object)

tackled, tackling

1. Football. to tackle an opponent having the ball.

tackle British  

/ ˈteɪkəl, ˈtækəl /

noun

1. any mechanical system for lifting or pulling, esp an arrangement of ropes and pulleys designed to lift heavy weights

2. the equipment required for a particular occupation, etc

   fishing tackle

3. nautical the halyards and other running rigging aboard a vessel

4. slang a man's genitals

5. sport a physical challenge to an opponent, as to prevent his progress with the ball

6. American football a defensive lineman

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verb

1. (tr) to undertake (a task, problem, etc)

2. (tr) to confront (a person, esp an opponent) with a difficult proposition

3. sport (esp in football games) to challenge (an opponent) with a tackle

Other Word Forms

• retackle
  verb (used with object)
• tackler
  noun

Etymology

Origin of tackle

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English takel “gear, apparatus,” from Middle Low German; akin to take

Explanation

To tackle a challenge means taking it on, so if you set out to tackle the classics of English literature, you should be prepared spend a lot of time in the library. The word tackle can be a verb or a noun, depending on its use. Today, the noun usually means fishing gear, but when it came into the English language it meant the ropes on a ship. If a ship was lurching about on the high seas, you dealt with that challenge by grabbing the tackle and wrestling it under control. Nowadays, people tend to think of tackling running backs and financial fraud, rather than ropes.

Example Sentences

Dick’s Bait and Tackle eventually became Dick’s Sporting Goods, and the brand’s namesake sold the company to his children.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 14, 2026

Tackle Kobie Turner had two sacks, edge rusher Byron Young and rotational tackle Neville Gallimore each had 1½, end Desjuan Johnson had one and lineman Braden Fiske and linebacker Michael Hoecht shared a sack.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 14, 2025

In emails seen by the BBC, Jamie and his partner’s signatures featured graphics that said Access Workshops donates a percentage of “overall profits” to organisations such as Tackle HIV.

From BBC • Nov. 3, 2024

Tackle evasion rate is another great marker for attacking style and success.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2024

Tackle and Lure—Trout tackle and spoon will furnish interesting sport.

From Game Birds and Game Fishes of the Pacific Coast by Payne, Harry Thom

Related Words

• begin
• engage in
• take on
• try
• undertake
• work on