tackle

UK: /ˈtæk^əl/

US: /ˈtækəl; for Building, Naut. ˈteɪkəl/

US: (tak′əl or, for 2–4, tā′kəl)

Inflections of 'tackle' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

tackles

v 3rd person singular

tackling

v pres p

tackled

v past

tackled

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

tack•le /ˈtækəl; for 2-4. ˈteɪkəl/   n., v., -led, -ling. 
n. 

1. equipment for fishing:
   [uncountable] fishing tackle.
2. Building any system for lifting or lowering objects that uses pulleys, ropes, and blocks:
   [countable] a heavy-duty tackle for lowering cargo.
   [uncountable] moving tackle into position to hoist the gear aboard.
3. Nautical, Naval Terms [uncountable] the gear and ropes or rigging of a ship.
4. [countable] an act of tackling, as in football.
5. Sport either of the linemen in football:
   [countable] One of the tackles went to his right and blocked for the running back.
   [uncountable] He played tackle for Illinois.

v. 

6. to work with or begin work on (something), so as to handle or solve it:
   [~ + object] to tackle a problem.
7. Sport to seize, stop, or throw down (a ballcarrier) in football: [~ + object]
   The quarterback was tackled.
   [no object]
   Our team has to tackle better.
8. to seize (someone) suddenly, esp. to stop him or her:
   [~ + object] tackled the intruder.

tack•ler, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

tack•le  (tak′əl or, for 2–4, tā′kəl), n., v., -led, -ling. 
n. 

1. equipment, apparatus, or gear, esp. for fishing:
   fishing tackle.
2. Building 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.
3. Building any system of leverage using several pulleys.
4. Nautical, Naval Terms the gear and running rigging for handling a ship or performing some task on a ship.
5. an act of tackling, as in football;
   a seizing, grasping, or bringing down.
6. Sport [Football.]
   • either of the linemen stationed between a guard and an end.
   • the position played by this lineman.
7. (formerly) tack¹ (def. 8).

v.t. 

8. to undertake to handle, master, solve, etc.:
   to tackle a difficult problem.
9. to deal with (a person) on some problem, issue, etc.
10. to harness (a horse).
11. Sport [Football.] to seize, stop, or throw down (a ball-carrier).
12. Sport [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.
13. to seize suddenly, esp. in order to stop.

v.i. 

14. Sport [Football.] to tackle an opponent having the ball.

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

tack′ler, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

tackle / ˈtæk^əl ˈteɪk^əl/ noun

1. any mechanical system for lifting or pulling, esp an arrangement of ropes and pulleys designed to lift heavy weights
2. the equipment required for a particular occupation, etc
3. the halyards and other running rigging aboard a vessel
4. a physical challenge to an opponent, as to prevent his or her progress with the ball
5. a defensive lineman

verb

1. (transitive) to undertake (a task, problem, etc)
2. (transitive) to confront (a person, esp an opponent) with a difficult proposition
3. (esp in football games) to challenge (an opponent) with a tackle

Etymology: 13th Century: related to Middle Low German takel ship's rigging, Middle Dutch taken to take

ˈtackler noun