Definition of
Tack
- (noun, act) sailing a zigzag course
- (noun, act) (nautical) the act of changing tack
- (noun, artifact) (nautical) a line (rope or chain) that regulates the angle at which a sail is set in relation to the wind
- (noun, artifact) gear for a horse
- (noun, artifact) a short nail with a sharp point and a large head
- (noun, location) the heading or position of a vessel relative to the trim of its sails
- (verb, change) reverse (a direction, attitude, or course of action)
- (verb, contact) fix to; attach
- (verb, contact) sew together loosely, with large stitches
- (verb, contact) fasten with tacks
- (verb, creation) create by putting components or members together
He tacked together some verses
They set up a committee - (verb, motion) turn into the wind
The boat tacked
via WordNet, Princeton University
Synonyms of Tack
alternate, append, assemble, baste, flip, flip-flop, hang on, interchange, mainsheet, piece, put together, saddlery, set up, sheet, shroud, stable gear, switch, tack on, tack together, tacking, tag on, wear round, weather sheet
Alternate forms of Tack
Derivations: tack, tacker, tacking
Hyponyms: bit, caparison, carpet tack, cinch, comfit, compound, confect, confection, configure, confuse, drawing pin, futtock shroud, girth, hame, harness, headgear, horse blanket, housing, jumble, martingale, mix up, pushpin, reassemble, rig up, saddle blanket, saddlecloth, subjoin, thumbtack, tintack, trapping, yoke
Hypernyms: aim, appurtenance, attach, bearing, bring together, change by reversal, change of course, create, fasten, fix, gear, heading, join, line, make, nail, paraphernalia, reverse, run up, sail, sailing, secure, sew, sew together, stitch, turn
Origin of the word Tack
- "clasp, hook, fastener," 1296, from O.N.Fr. taque "nail, pin, peg," probably from a Gmc. source (cf. M.Du. tacke "twig, spike," Low Ger. takk "tine, pointed thing," Ger. Zacken "sharp point, tooth, prong"); perhaps related to tail. Meaning "small, sharp nail with a flat head" is attested from 1463. Verb sense of "to attach as a supplement" (with sugg… more
- "horse's harness, etc.," 1924, shortening of tackle in sense of "equipment." Tack in a non-equestrian sense as a shortening of tackle is recorded in dialect from 1777. more
- "food," 1833, perhaps a shortening and special use of tackle in the sense of "gear." Hard-tack was originally "ship's biscuit," soft-tack being bread. more
via Online Etymology Dictionary, ©2001 Douglas Harper