tuck
verb (used with object)
to put into a small, close, or concealing place.
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tuck
1 American
[tuhk]
/ tʌk /
verb (used with object)
-
tucks,
present (3rd person singular)
-
tucked,
past participle, past
-
tucking
present participle
-
to put into a small, close, or concealing place.
Tuck the money into your wallet.
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to thrust in the loose end or edge of (a garment, covering, etc.) so as to hold closely in place (usually followed by in, up, under, etc.).
Tuck in your blouse.
Tuck the edge of the sheet under the mattress.
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to cover snugly in or as if in this manner.
She tucked the children into bed.
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to pull up into a fold or folds; draw up into a folded arrangement (usually followed by in, up, etc.).
to tuck up one's skirts;
to tuck one's knees under one's chin.
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Needlework. to sew tucks in.
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to pass (a strand) above or below another one.
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Informal. to eat or drink (usually followed by in, away, etc.).
He tucked away a big meal.
verb (used without object)
-
tucks,
present (3rd person singular)
-
tucked,
past participle, past
-
tucking
present participle
-
Needlework. to make tucks.
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to fit securely or snugly.
a bed that tucks into the corner.
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to secure one's penis between one's legs so that the crotch is flat, often done by gender-diverse people as part of their gender expression.
When I'm performing, I usually tuck, because it makes me feel more confident.
noun
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something tucked or folded in.
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Sewing. a fold, or one of a series of folds, made by doubling cloth upon itself and stitching parallel with the edge of the fold, used for decoration or for shortening or fitting a garment.
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Diving, Gymnastics. a body position in which the head is lowered and the thighs held against the chest with the knees bent and the arms locked around the shins.
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Skiing. a crouch in which the ski poles are held close to the chest, extending back under the arms and parallel to the ground, as to maximize speed downhill.
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Informal. a plastic surgery operation.
a tummy tuck.
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Nautical. the part of a vessel where the after ends of the outside planking or plating unite at the sternpost.
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(in tying knots) the operation of passing one strand above or below another.
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British Slang. food.
verb phrase
tuck
2
American
[tuhk]
/ tʌk /
noun
Informal.
tuck
3
American
[tuhk]
/ tʌk /
noun
Archaic.
tuck
4
American
[tuhk]
/ tʌk /
noun
Chiefly Scot.
tuck
1
British
/ tʌk /
verb
-
(tr) to push or fold into a small confined space or concealed place or between two surfaces
to tuck a letter into an envelope
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(tr) to thrust the loose ends or sides of (something) into a confining space, so as to make neat and secure
to tuck the sheets under the mattress
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to make a tuck or tucks in (a garment)
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(usually tr) to draw together, contract, or pucker
noun
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a tucked object or part
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a pleat or fold in a part of a garment, usually stitched down so as to make it a better fit or as decoration
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the part of a vessel where the after ends of the planking or plating meet at the sternpost
-
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an informal or schoolchild's word for food, esp cakes and sweets
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( as modifier )
a tuck box
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-
a position of the body in certain dives in which the legs are bent with the knees drawn up against the chest and tightly clasped
tuck
2
British
/ tʌk /
noun
verb
-
(tr) to touch or strike
-
(intr) to throb or bump
Tuck
3
British
/ tʌk /
noun
tuck
4
British
/ tʌk /
noun
tuck
Idioms
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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tucksimple
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tuckssimple
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have tuckedperfect
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has tuckedperfect
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am tuckingprogressive
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are tuckingprogressive
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is tuckingprogressive
-
have been tuckingperfect progressive
-
has been tuckingperfect progressive
Past
-
tuckedsimple
-
had tuckedperfect
-
was tuckingprogressive
-
were tuckingprogressive
-
had been tuckingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of tuck1
First recorded before 900; Middle English t(o)uken “to stretch (cloth), torment,” Old English tūcian “to torment”; akin to Middle Low German tucken “to tug,” German zucken “to jerk”; see tow 1
Origin of tuck2
By shortening and respelling
Origin of tuck3
First recorded in 1500–10; earlier tocke, apparently phonetic variant of obsolete stock “sword,” from Italian stocco, from German Stock “stick”; cognate with stock
Origin of tuck4
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English tukken “to beat, sound (said of a drum),” from Middle French (north) toker “to strike, touch”; see touch
Explanation
To tuck is to fold, gather, or insert, like the way you tuck your sheets under your mattress when you make the bed in the morning or the way you tuck your lucky stuffed unicorn into your backpack on the day of a big test. You can tuck your shirt into your waistband, and tuck your jeans into your cowboy boots. You can also tuck a child into bed or tuck your book under your arm to carry it. The verb tuck can also be used informally to mean "eat with gusto," like when you tuck into a giant bowl of spaghetti.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The organisers have also set up a "nomadic fair" at the site, where visitors can tuck into samsas –- savoury meat-filled pastries typical of Central Asia -- or take part in yurt-building workshops.
From Barron's ● Sep. 4, 2026
Made popular by multi-billionaire Elon Musk's Tesla, hidden door handles are designed to tuck seamlessly within the car's door panel and only extend outwards approaches their vehicle.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
Cut the pastry into roughly nine 3-inch squares and tuck each one into a prepared muffin tin, leaving the corners to rise jauntily above the cups.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
Something to celebrate, fun trivia to tuck away for later.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026
He tries to tuck his hair behind his ears, but it’s not quite long enough and flops out again.
From "Amina's Song" by Hena Khan
Kusum Ailawadi, a professor at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College who has done research on private-label brands, said retailers can glean information about manufacturers’ costs based on how they price products.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026
Also convicted of the same offence were acquaintances Ashley O'Leary Jones and David Tuck.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
Mack learned the importance of passing down knowledge as a youngster in Oakland under the tutelage of seasoned veterans Charles Woodson and Justin Tuck.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2026
The surge gases turned into sulfuric acid, Mr. Tuck writes, “when entering into contact with the water that is in a human body.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 2, 2026
“You’re Mr. Tuck, I suppose,” said the man in the yellow suit.
From "Tuck Everlasting" by Natalie Babbit
And if she had gotten all the lifts and tucks we expect of a TV star, we’d be criticizing her for that too.
From Salon ● Oct. 1, 2026
Among patients 66 and older, demand for breast augmentations, tummy tucks, arm lifts, thigh lifts and facelifts all increased by double digits.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 5, 2026
He tries to spend 60 uninterrupted minutes a day with his sons; when he tucks the eldest into bed, they play a word game and then pray.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
Wearing a black-and-white ensemble that bares her midriff, she tucks her feet under her and treats our chat like a gab session.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 25, 2026
The man retrieves a half-eaten orange, tucks it into his armpit, and continues going through the trash bags.
From "They Both Die at the End" by Adam Silvera
Foodies have long tucked culinary souvenirs into their suitcases to savor a taste of their trip long after they’re home, but the 2024 Paris Olympics and social media have supercharged the trend.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026
Before bed, I also chopped one slightly wilting scallion and tucked it into a little bowl for morning.
From Salon ● Sep. 22, 2026
Spanning 5,920 square feet, the six-bedroom, seven-bathroom residence is tucked behind gates and surrounded by mature greenery, offering plenty of privacy in the sought-after California enclave.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026
I noted their opinions but tucked them away in my head for a rainy day.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
When he tucked it in I saw the same little V-shaped rip at the top of the rear seam of his waist that had seen for the last couple of weeks.
From "Firegirl" by Tony Abbott
People may still be waiting for a result while tucking into their breakfasts, rather than waking up to find out who has won.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
American and Chinese business leaders dotted the hall, tucking into dishes like lobster in tomato soup, crispy beef ribs, Beijing roast duck and tiramisu.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026
The film makes fantastic use of its single shooting location, tucking horror into every last nook and cranny of this potentially haunted house.
From Salon ● Mar. 15, 2026
The winter months are the best time to travel to the desert — but tucking into one of these titles is timeless, of course.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 11, 2026
“Let’s go,” she whispered, tucking the vest into the waist of her sari.
From "Tiger Boy" by Mitali Perkins
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
