tack

UK /tæk/ US /tæk/

noun 9verb 5name 1

Definitions

noun

A small nail with a flat head.

A tough test for even the strongest climber, it was new to the Tour de France this year, but its debut will be remembered for the wrong reasons after one of those spectators scattered carpet tacks on the road and induced around 30 punctures among the group of riders including Bradley Wiggins, the Tour's overall leader, and his chief rivals.

A thumbtack.

A loose seam used to temporarily fasten pieces of cloth.

The lower corner on the leading edge of a sail relative to the direction of the wind.

A course or heading that enables a sailing vessel to head upwind.

verb

To nail (something) with a tack (small nail with a flat head).

To sew/stitch with a tack (loose seam used to temporarily fasten pieces of cloth).

To weld with initial small welds to temporarily fasten in preparation for full welding.

To maneuver a sailing vessel so that its bow turns through the wind, i.e. the wind changes from one side of the vessel to the other.

To sail to windward using a series of alternate tacks across the wind.

noun

A stain; a tache.

A peculiar flavour or taint.

a musty tack

Collocations

(noun.) way of achieving sth

ADJ

right, wrong

VERB + TACK

go off on, take, try

When the first plan failed, the team decided to try a different tack.

change, switch

The company decided to switch tack and focus on younger customers instead.

PREP

on a/the ~

If we're on the right tack, we should finish the project by next month.

PHRASES

a change of tack

(noun.) direction of a sailing boat in relation to the wind

ADJ

port, starboard

opposite

VERB + TACK

sail on

The captain decided to change tack and sail on a different course toward the island.

change, swing onto/to

The sailboat changed tack when the wind suddenly shifted direction.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

noun — (nautical) the act of changing tack

tacking

noun — (nautical) a line (rope or chain) that regulates the angle a

sheet
mainsheet
shroud

noun — gear for a horse

saddlery

verb — reverse (a direction, attitude, or course of action)

verb — fix to

append

verb — sew together loosely, with large stitches

baste

verb — create by putting components or members together

Antonyms

Idioms & Phrases

change of tack

The act of tacking, turning into the wind so the sail moves to the opposite side.

hold tack

To last or hold out.

But if this twig be made of wood That will hold tack, I'll make the fur Fly 'bout the ears of that old cur; And th' other mungrel vermin, Ralph, That brav'd us all in his behalf.

sit on a tack

An expression of contempt or dismissiveness directed at someone, particularly in the case of disagreement.

I don't care what he thinks! He can just sit on a tack!

Example Bank

A tough test for even the strongest climber, it was new to the Tour de France this year, but its debut will be remembered for the wrong reasons after one of those spectators scattered carpet tacks on

Wiktionary

So stoutly held to tack by those near North-wales men;

Wiktionary

Maud Gonne’s letter about taking them off O’Connell street at night: disgrace to our Irish capital. Griffith’s paper is on the same tack now: an army rotten with venereal disease: overseas or halfseas

Wiktionary

to tack (something) onto (something)

Wiktionary

In short, they tend to present Indian English as nothing more than "standard" English with a select collection of lexical peculiarities tacked on, as it were, many of which would be regarded as "error

Wiktionary

a musty tack

Wiktionary

Usage Notes

i Register

In some senses, tack is marked as obsolete, colloquial. Watch for register when choosing this word.

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