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

Mahmood is seen at the government as a punchier communicator - displayed, perhaps, in her opening vow as home secretary to do "whatever it takes" to tackle illegal immigration.

From BBC

The Bank of England is expected to hold interest rates on Thursday, as it seeks to tackle inflation, which remains well above above its 2% target.

From BBC

Lourenço promised to overhaul what he saw as the broken system inherited from his predecessor: tackling corruption, diversifying the economy and creating jobs.

From BBC

"We are tackling this issue head-on, working with local authorities and over 150 travel industry partners to raise awareness of the dangers of methanol poisoning."

From BBC

He denied this year's budget, which only passed due to the Welsh Liberal Democrat leader, was a missed opportunity to get more money to tackle issues in social care.

From BBC

Related Words

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