Building a short, sharp-pointed nail with a broad, flat head:[countable]Hammer a few tacks into the rug.
a course of action, esp. one differing from another course: [countable]He took the wrong tack.[uncountable]to change tack and try something else.
Nautical, Naval Terms[countable] the direction taken by a sailing vessel when sailing at an angle against the wind.
[countable] a long stitch to fasten seams before sewing.
v.
Building to fasten with tacks:[~ + object]tacked a notice onto the door.
[~ + object] to secure by temporary fastening, as before sewing.
to attach as something extra; append: [~ + on + object]He tacked on a conclusion to his paper.[~ + object + on]to tack it on at the end.
Nautical, Naval Termsto change the course of a sailing vessel to a different direction: [no object]to tack against the wind.[~ + object]to tack the sailboat against the wind.
Buildinga short, sharp-pointed nail, usually with a flat, broad head.
Naval Terms[Naut.]
, Naval Terms, Nauticala rope for extending the lower forward corner of a course.
, Nautical, Naval Termsthe lower forward corner of a course or fore-and-aft sail. See diag. under sail.
, Nautical, Naval Termsthe heading of a sailing vessel, when sailing close-hauled, with reference to the wind direction.
, Nautical, Naval Termsa course run obliquely against the wind.
, Nautical, Naval Termsone of the series of straight runs that make up the zigzag course of a ship proceeding to windward.
a course of action or conduct, esp. one differing from some preceding or other course.
one of the movements of a zigzag course on land.
a stitch, esp. a long stitch used in fastening seams, preparatory to a more thorough sewing.
a fastening, esp. of a temporary kind.
Buildingstickiness, as of nearly dry paint or glue or of a printing ink or gummed tape; adhesiveness.
the gear used in equipping a horse, including saddle, bridle, martingale, etc.
on the wrong tack, under a misapprehension; in error; astray:His line of questioning began on the wrong tack.
v.t.
Buildingto fasten by a tack or tacks:to tack a rug to the floor.
Buildingto secure by some slight or temporary fastening.
to join together; unite; combine.
to attach as something supplementary; append; annex (often fol. by on or onto).
[Naut.]
Naval Termsto change the course of (a sailing vessel) to the opposite tack.
Naval Termsto navigate (a sailing vessel) by a series of tacks.
to equip (a horse) with tack.
v.i.
[Naut.]
Naval Termsto change the course of a sailing vessel by bringing the head into the wind and then causing it to fall off on the other side:He ordered us to tack at once.
Naval Terms(of a sailing vessel) to change course in this way.
Naval Termsto proceed to windward by a series of courses as close to the wind as the vessel will sail.
to take or follow a zigzag course or route.
to change one's course of action, conduct, ideas, etc.
to equip a horse with tack (usually fol. by up):Please tack up quickly.
1300–50; (noun, nominal) Middle English tak buckle, clasp, nail (later, tack); cognate with German Zacke prong, Dutch tak twig; (verb, verbal) Middle English tacken to attach, derivative of the noun, nominal; see tache,attach
tack′er, n. tack′less, adj.
13.See corresponding entry in Unabridged affix, fasten, add.
tack2(tak),USA pronunciationn.
food; fare.
origin, originally uncertain 1740–50
tack3(tak),USA pronunciationn.[Scot. and North Eng.]