tackle

[ tak-uh l or for 2–4, tey-kuh l ]

/ ˈtæk əl or for 2–4, ˈteɪ kəl /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR tackle ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

equipment, apparatus, or gear, especially for fishing: fishing tackle.

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.

any system of leverage using several pulleys.

Nautical. the gear and running rigging for handling a ship or performing some task on a ship.

an act of tackling, as in football; a seizing, grasping, or bringing down.

Football.

either of the linemen stationed between a guard and an end.
the position played by this lineman.

(formerly) tack¹(def 8).

verb (used with object), tack·led, tack·ling.

to undertake to handle, master, solve, etc.: to tackle a difficult problem.

to deal with (a person) on some problem, issue, etc.

to harness (a horse).

Football. to seize, stop, or throw down (a ball-carrier).

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.

to seize suddenly, especially in order to stop.

verb (used without object), tack·led, tack·ling.

Football. to tackle an opponent having the ball.

Origin of tackle

1200–50; Middle English takel gear, apparatus < Middle Low German; akin to take

OTHER WORDS FROM tackle

tack·ler, noun re·tack·le, verb (used with object), re·tack·led, re·tack·ling.

Words nearby tackle

tackboard, tacker, tacket, tackie, tackies, tackle, tackling, tacksman, tacky, tacloban, tacmahack

Example sentences from the Web for tackle

But there was still a paper to get out in Washington, and I went there late in the afternoon to tackle the dismal job.

The Stacks: H.L. Mencken on the 1904 Baltimore Fire |H.L. Mencken |October 4, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
It was inspiration enough to help us tackle the usually dreaded summer to fall wardrobe transition.

New York Fashion Week's Style on the Streets |Sara Sayed |September 11, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
What were the biggest hurdles for you on The Sopranos as far as storylines to tackle, or storylines to wrap up?

David Chase on Tony Soprano’s Fate, the State of TV, and Why He Couldn’t Finish ‘True Detective’ |Marlow Stern |September 4, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
India has little or nothing to contribute to American efforts to tackle the crises in Gaza, Ukraine, Syria, and Iraq.

John Kerry Just Visited. But Should We Just Forget About India? |Tunku Varadarajan |August 3, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

Directed by Michael Dowse, What If, in select theaters Aug. 8, sees Radcliffe tackle his most “adult” role to date: romcom lead.

Daniel Radcliffe on Sex, ‘Harry Potter,’ and Complicated Relationships |Marlow Stern |July 23, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
It is an ill look-out for the cycle mechanic who is not prepared to tackle the new problems that will arise.

Anticipations |Herbert George Wells
They're all-fired fast, but it's funny how they stop when you tackle them.

Football Days |William H. Edwards
A quartermaster, summoned from the forecastle, hoisted a block and tackle to a derrick.

His Unknown Wife |Louis Tracy
Society, official and unofficial, kept rather strictly to their tackle; their mode of movement not that of loose oxen at all!

History of Friedrich II. of Prussia, Vol. XVI. (of XXI.) |Thomas Carlyle
Looking back, I saw Piragoff slowly rise to the pull of the tackle until he was upright with his feet just touching the floor.

The Uttermost Farthing |R. Austin Freeman

British Dictionary definitions for tackle

tackle

/ (ˈtækəl, often nautical ˈteɪkəl) /

noun

any mechanical system for lifting or pulling, esp an arrangement of ropes and pulleys designed to lift heavy weights

the equipment required for a particular occupation, etc fishing tackle

nautical the halyards and other running rigging aboard a vessel

slang a man's genitals

sport a physical challenge to an opponent, as to prevent his progress with the ball

American football a defensive lineman

verb

(tr) to undertake (a task, problem, etc)

(tr) to confront (a person, esp an opponent) with a difficult proposition

sport (esp in football games) to challenge (an opponent) with a tackle

Derived forms of tackle

tackler, noun

Word Origin for tackle

C13: related to Middle Low German takel ship's rigging, Middle Dutch taken to take

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

tackle

noun

verb (used with object), tack·led, tack·ling.

verb (used without object), tack·led, tack·ling.

Origin of tackle

OTHER WORDS FROM tackle

Words nearby tackle

Example sentences from the Web for tackle

British Dictionary definitions for tackle

noun

verb

Derived forms of tackle

Word Origin for tackle

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

tackle

noun

verb (used with object), tack·led, tack·ling.

verb (used without object), tack·led, tack·ling.

Origin of tackle

OTHER WORDS FROM tackle

Words nearby tackle

Words related to tackle

Example sentences from the Web for tackle

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noun

verb

Derived forms of tackle

Word Origin for tackle

British Dictionary definitions for tackle