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

Example Sentences

It has called for faster, more decisive action to support women already waiting and to tackle the underlying capacity challenges driving long delays in Northern Ireland.

From BBC

It said the Scottish government must set out a plan to tackle the problem.

From BBC

Albanese had previously argued that reforms on gun ownership and hate speech, steps to tackle antisemitism and a review into intelligence and law enforcement agencies offered the quickest response.

From BBC

Tessellations cover a surface with one or more geometric shapes without gaps or overlaps, and the researchers demonstrate that these structures can serve as precise tools for tackling difficult mathematical problems.

From Science Daily

Kiki said she now recognised her triggers and her likelihood to gamble during certain points of her menstrual cycle, and has a strategy for tackling them.

From BBC

Related Words

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