tack

[ tak ]

/ tæk /

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noun

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

Nautical.

a rope for extending the lower forward corner of a course.
the lower forward corner of a course or fore-and-aft sail.
the heading of a sailing vessel, when sailing close-hauled, with reference to the wind direction.
a course run obliquely against the wind.
one of the series of straight runs that make up the zigzag course of a ship proceeding to windward.

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

one of the movements of a zigzag course on land.

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

a fastening, especially of a temporary kind.

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

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

verb (used with object)

to fasten by a tack or tacks: to tack a rug to the floor.

to secure by some slight or temporary fastening.

to join together; unite; combine.

to attach as something supplementary; append; annex (often followed by on or onto).

Nautical.

to change the course of (a sailing vessel) to the opposite tack.
to navigate (a sailing vessel) by a series of tacks.

to equip (a horse) with tack.

verb (used without object)

Nautical.

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.
(of a sailing vessel) to change course in this way.
to proceed to windward by a series of courses as close to the wind as the vessel will sail.

to take or follow a zigzag course or route.

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

to equip a horse with tack (usually followed by up): Please tack up quickly.

OTHER WORDS FOR tack

12 affix, fasten, add.

See synonyms for tack on Thesaurus.com

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Idioms about tack

on the wrong tack, under a misapprehension; in error; astray: His line of questioning began on the wrong tack.

Origin of tack

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

OTHER WORDS FROM tack

tacker, nountackless, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH tack

1. tack , tact2. tacks , tax

Words nearby tack

Tacitean, tacitly, taciturn, taciturnity, Tacitus, tack, tackboard, tack claw, tacker, tacket, tack hammer

Other definitions for tack (2 of 3)

tack²

[ tak ]

/ tæk /

noun

food; fare.

Origin of tack

First recorded in 1740–50; origin uncertain

Other definitions for tack (3 of 3)

tack³

[ tak ]

/ tæk /

noun Scot. and North England.

a lease, especially on farmland.

a rented pasture.

a catch, haul, or take of fish.

Origin of tack

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use tack in a sentence

A consistent tack for President Trump as he defends his handling of the novel coronavirus and race relations — two issues that are dragging down his reelection chances — is to dodge acknowledging how bad either of them are.
Trump keeps dodging the crux of major issues — and that’s showing in his reelection prospects|Amber Phillips|September 16, 2020|Washington Post
But, under a new administration, the government has changed tack.
Uber and Bolt are set to face expensive ride-hailing regulation in Africa’s largest city|Yomi Kazeem|August 11, 2020|Quartz
It’s not ideal that Republicans are taking this tack, as the right to vote is so important.
Five Ways Trump And GOP Officials Are Undermining The Election Process|Perry Bacon Jr. (perry.bacon@fivethirtyeight.com)|August 11, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
Now Johnson is on a mission to teach the next generation of teachers how to take a new tack.
Is School Out Forever?|Daniel Malloy|August 9, 2020|Ozy

In the weeks after coronavirus clamped the country in a vise of social distancing regulations, many ad sellers tried new tacks to keep their clients engaged.
‘This is a relationship business’: The in-person client meeting is beginning to make a comeback among publishers|Max Willens|July 13, 2020|Digiday
Pulling oil from the tar sands is costly, even more so when you tack transportation costs on top.
Fact-Checking the Sunday Shows: Jan. 4|PunditFact.com|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Anytime we have to put up the sail or tack or do any maneuvering, it requires all hands on deck.
Inside Sailing’s Biggest Race|Lizzie Crocker|October 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Around 3am, my spindly legs are beginning to ache from balancing on deck, as we heel with each tack.
Inside Sailing’s Biggest Race|Lizzie Crocker|October 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This second tack, the one that has worked for Hughes, is probably the most viable for Lewinsky, he thinks.
Donna Rice: ‘My Heart Really Goes Out to Monica Lewinsky’|Keli Goff|May 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
At the moment, he seems to be taking a different tack altogether.
Is This the End of Arnold Schwarzenegger's Comeback?|Andrew Romano|March 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The stratagem worked, because the ships went about from one tack to the other without being seen by the Dutch.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume XX, 1621-1624|Various
Whereas Lessard had acted the martinet with MacRae, he took another tack and became the very essence of affability toward me.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
The wind being unfavourable, we were obliged, during the night, to tack in the neighbourhood of Dover.
A Woman's Journey Round the World|Ida Pfeiffer
It was evidently useless to try to get anything more out of the child on that tack.
The Girls of Central High on the Stage|Gertrude W. Morrison
They stood out till they had one and all declared that they could clear it on the next tack; they were all ready to go about.
The Rival Campers|Ruel Perley Smith

British Dictionary definitions for tack (1 of 4)

tack¹

/ (tæk) /

noun

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

British a long loose temporary stitch used in dressmaking, etc

See tailor's-tack

a temporary fastening

stickiness, as of newly applied paint, varnish, etc

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

nautical

a course sailed by a sailing vessel with the wind blowing from forward of the beam
one such course or a zigzag pattern of such courses

nautical

a sheet for controlling the weather clew of a course
the weather clew itself

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

a course of action differing from some previous coursehe went off on a fresh tack

on the wrong tack under a false impression

verb

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

British to sew (something) with long loose temporary stitches

(tr) to attach or appendtack this letter onto the other papers

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

nautical to steer (a sailing vessel) on alternate tacks

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

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

Derived forms of tack

tackless, adjective

Word Origin for tack

C14 tak fastening, nail; related to Middle Low German tacke pointed instrument

British Dictionary definitions for tack (2 of 4)

tack²

/ (tæk) /

noun

informal food, esp when regarded as inferior or distastefulSee also hardtack

Word Origin for tack

C19: of unknown origin

British Dictionary definitions for tack (3 of 4)

tack³

/ (tæk) /

noun

riding harness for horses, such as saddles, bridles, etc
(as modifier)the tack room

Word Origin for tack

C20: shortened from tackle

British Dictionary definitions for tack (4 of 4)

tack⁴

/ (tæk) /

noun Scot

a lease

an area of land held on a lease

Word Origin for tack

C15: from tak a Scots word for take

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with tack

tack

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

tack

OTHER WORDS FOR tack

Idioms about tack

Origin of tack

OTHER WORDS FROM tack

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH tack

Words nearby tack

Other definitions for tack (2 of 3)

Origin of tack

Other definitions for tack (3 of 3)

Origin of tack

Words related to tack

How to use tack in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for tack (1 of 4)

Derived forms of tack

Word Origin for tack

British Dictionary definitions for tack (2 of 4)

Word Origin for tack

British Dictionary definitions for tack (3 of 4)

Word Origin for tack

British Dictionary definitions for tack (4 of 4)

Word Origin for tack

Other Idioms and Phrases with tack