tackle

[tak-uhl, tey-kuhl]

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.

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

/ 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

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

• tackler noun
• retackle verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of tackle¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of tackle¹

C13: related to Middle Low German takel ship's rigging, Middle Dutch taken to _take

Example Sentences

"The field now needs to focus on understanding those processes in much greater detail and developing treatments that can be used together to tackle the disease from multiple angles."

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Brussels hoped the proposal would then see the EU team up with Washington to tackle Chinese overcapacity, and Sefcovic had been pushing his US counterparts agree on steel import quotas.

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They said they had raised the matter with their local councillor, Nicola Matthews, who had offered her support in tackling the issue, adding council officials had been polite and sympathetic.

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"I don't know where to start with it," Contepomi said of Curry's tackle on Mallia, who had kicked the ball clear before the contact.

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He went on to express the superstitions some officers have about tackling rogue herbalists: "I will not go and provoke situations. I know that they have their own powers that are beyond my knowledge."

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Related Words

• begin 
• engage in www.thesaurus.com
• take on 
• try 
• undertake 
• work on