tack

B2 Topic:Space, Position & Direction

US /ˈtæk/ UK /tæk/ See IPA manual

Freq #14883

Meanings

1

noun
A way of dealing with a problem; an approach or course of action.

When the usual methods failed, they tried a different tack.
2

noun
A short nail with a flat head.

He used a few tacks to pin the poster to the wall.
3

verb
To fasten something with tacks.

She tacked the notice to the board.
4

verb
To change the direction of a sailing boat by turning into the wind.

The sailors had to tack to reach the harbor.

Thesaurus

Word family

Forms tackedtackingtacks

Derived forms bartackblu-tackhardtackshort-tackthumbtack

Related forms blu-tacktacky

Etymology

From Middle English tak, take (“fee, tax (on livestock)”), from Old Norse tak, taka (“a taking, seizure; revenue”), from Old Norse taka (“to take”). Cognate with Scots tack.

*teh₂g- Proto-Indo-European tak Middle English taka Old Norse

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# tack

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈtæk/
**IPA (UK):** /tæk/
**Frequency rank:** 14883

## Meanings
1. A way of dealing with a problem; an approach or course of action.
2. A short nail with a flat head.
3. To fasten something with tacks.
4. To change the direction of a sailing boat by turning into the wind.

## Examples
- When the usual methods failed, they tried a different tack.
- He used a few tacks to pin the poster to the wall.
- She tacked the notice to the board.
- The sailors had to tack to reach the harbor.

## Derived Forms
- bartack
- blu-tack
- hardtack
- short-tack
- thumbtack

## Related Forms
- blu-tack
- tacky

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *teh₂g-
- Root: tak
- Root: taka

## Etymology
From Middle English tak, take (“fee, tax (on livestock)”), from Old Norse tak, taka (“a taking, seizure; revenue”), from Old Norse taka (“to take”). Cognate with Scots tack.

## AI Etymology
Tack is from Middle English tak, take (“fee, tax (on livestock)”), from Old Norse tak, taka (“a taking, seizure; revenue”), from Old Norse taka (“to take”). Cognate with Scots tack. In present-day use, it can mean a way of dealing with a problem; an approach or course of action, or a short nail with a flat head. Derived formations include bartack, blu-tack, hardtack, short-tack, thumbtack.

## Topics
- Space, Position & Direction

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tack

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