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   Tack

   /tak/

   

   noun

   • 1. a small, sharp broad-headed nail: "tacks held the remaining rags of carpet to the floor" Similar pinnailstaplespikerivetstuddrawing pintin tackthumb tack
   • ▪ a thumbtack: North American "here are some tacks—put up a notice"
   • 2. a long stitch used to fasten fabrics together temporarily, prior to permanent sewing.
   • 3. a method of dealing with a situation or problem; a course of action or policy: "as she could not stop him from going she tried another tack and insisted on going with him" Similar approachwaymethodprocesspolicyproceduretechniquetacticplanstrategystratagemprogramline of attackcourse of actionline of actionpathlineangledirectioncourse
   • 4. an act of changing course by turning a vessel's head into and through the wind, so as to bring the wind on the opposite side.
   • ▪ a boat's course relative to the direction of the wind: "the brig bowled past on the opposite tack" Similar headingbearingdirectioncoursetrackpathline
   • ▪ a distance sailed between changes of course: "it's a shame to see a yacht drop her sails and start the diesel just because she has to make a few short tacks"
   • 5. a rope for securing the weather clew of a course.
   • ▪ the weather clew of a course, or the lower forward corner of a fore-and-aft sail.
   • 6. the quality of being sticky: "cooking the sugar to caramel gives tack to the texture"

   verb

   • 1. fasten or fix in place with tacks: "he used the tool to tack down sheets of fiberboard" Similar pinnailstaplefixfastenattachsecureaffixput upput down
   • ▪ fasten (pieces of cloth) together temporarily with long stitches: "when the dress was roughly tacked together, she tried it on" Similar stitchbastesewbindhem
   • ▪ add or append something to something already existing: "long-term savings plans with some life insurance tacked on" Similar attachaddappendjointagannex
   • 2. change course by turning a boat's head into and through the wind: "their boat was now downwind and they had to tack"
   • ▪ alter the course of (a sailboat): "I tacked the ship shortly after midnight"
   • ▪ make a series of changes of course while sailing: "she spent the entire night tacking back and forth" Similar change coursechange directionchange headingswervezigzagveer off/awaygo aboutcome aboutbeatsail into the wind

   Word Origin Middle English (in the general sense ‘something that fastens one thing to another’): probably related to Old French tache ‘clasp, large nail’.

   Derivatives

   • 1. tacker noun

   Scrabble Points: 10

   • T

     1

   • A

     1

   • C

     3

   • K

     5

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2. People also ask

   What does tack mean?

   • Although some believe the word tact is short for tactics in phrases like "change tact" or "try a different tact," the correct word in such contexts is tack. Tack in "change tack" and "try a different tack" means "a course or method of action especially when sharply divergent from that previously followed.”

   Tack Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

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   What does tack mean in sailing?

   • Tack developed this meaning from its nautical applications. In sailing, tack can refer to the direction that a ship or boat is sailing in as it moves at an angle to the direction of the wind; or to a change from one direction to another direction; or to the distance traveled while sailing in a particular direction.

   Tack Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tack

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   What does it mean to tack something together?

   • To tack is to put something together. We might be able to tack together a few ideas. To tack is to sew something together with large loose stitches. The tailor quickly began to tack the hem of her dress. To tack is to sail a zigzag course against the wind.

   tack - Simple English Wiktionary

   simple.wiktionary.org/wiki/tack

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   What is the best tack?

   • But the best tack is to keep your rates low to begin with. I finally realized the ridiculousness of spending even one second thinking about the totally unnecessary words that we tack on to the end of emails. Courts, however, will then sometimes tack on extra fees, penalties for missed payments and may even charge interest.

   TACK | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/tack

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3. www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › tackTack Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › tack

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   Learn the various meanings and uses of the word tack, from a small nail to a change of course. Find synonyms, examples, etymology, and related phrases of tack.

4. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishTACK | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

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   Learn the meanings and uses of the word tack in different contexts, such as nails, sewing, riding, and boats. See how to pronounce tack and how to use it in sentences with examples.

5. www.dictionary.com › browse › tackTACK Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

   www.dictionary.com › browse › tack

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   Tack is a noun or verb that has different meanings depending on the context. It can refer to a nail, a rope, a course, a fastening, a movement, a gear, or a change of direction. See synonyms, origin, and usage examples of tack on Dictionary.com.

6. dictionary.cambridge.org › us › dictionaryTACK | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary

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   Learn the meaning of tack as a noun and a verb in different contexts, such as nails, sewing, riding, and boats. See how to use tack in sentences with examples from various sources.

7. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definitiontack noun - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage ...

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   Learn the meanings and pronunciations of tack as a noun in different contexts, such as sailing, carpentry, sewing and horse riding. Find out how to use tack in idioms and collocations with pictures and example sentences.

8. dictionary.cambridge.org › learner-english › tackTACK | definition in the Cambridge Learner’s Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › learner-english › tack

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   Learn the meaning of tack as a noun and a verb, with examples of usage and pronunciation. Find out how to say tack in different languages, such as Chinese, Spanish, French and more.

9. www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › englishTACK definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english

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   4 days ago · Learn the meaning and usage of the word 'tack' in different contexts, such as carpentry, sailing, sewing, and language. Find synonyms, examples, and pronunciation of 'tack' in British and American English.