tack

noun
UK: /tæk/
US: /tæk/

  1. A small, sharp nail used to fasten things.

    1. I used a tack to hang the poster up in my room.
    2. She secured the fabric to the board with a small tack.

  2. A sailing maneuver where a boat turns its bow through the wind.

    1. The captain ordered the crew to tack to avoid the approaching storm.
    2. During the race, the yacht had to tack several times to navigate the channel.

  3. A course of action or policy.

    1. The company decided to change tack and focus on a new market.
    2. After failing to reach an agreement, the negotiators had to change tack.

Synonyms

nail direction course heading pin
tack verb

  1. To fasten something with tacks.

    1. I will tack the notice to the bulletin board so everyone sees it.
    2. He used a hammer to tack the carpet securely to the floor.

  2. To change direction while sailing by turning the bow of the boat through the wind.

    1. The sailboat will tack to reach the shore against the wind.
    2. We had to tack frequently to avoid the shallow waters near the coast.

  3. To add something quickly and often carelessly.

    1. The report tacks on extra charges that were not initially disclosed.
    2. The government tends to tack on amendments to bills at the last minute.
tack adjective

  1. Relating to equipment used for horses, such as saddles and bridles.

    1. The tack room was filled with saddles and other riding equipment.
    2. She carefully cleaned the horse tack after the riding lesson.
tack idiom

  1. Behaving or speaking without sensitivity or awareness of others' feelings.

    1. It was a little tack to talk about salary at party.
    2. He behaved in a tack way and didn't even notice it.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "tack" in English means: A small, sharp nail used to fasten things., A sailing maneuver where a boat turns its bow through the wind., A course of action or policy..

The phonetic transcription of "tack" is /tæk/ in British English and /tæk/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "tack": nail, direction, course, heading, pin.

Example usage of "tack": "I used a tack to hang the poster up in my room.". More examples on the page.