Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense tackles, present participle tackling, past tense, past participle tackled
1. verb
If you tackle a difficult problem or task, you deal with it in a very determined or efficient way.
The first reason to tackle these problems is to save children's lives. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: deal with, take on, set about, wade into More Synonyms of tackle
2. verb
If you tackle someone in a game such as hockey or football, you try to take the ball away from them. If you tackle someone in rugby or American football, you knock them to the ground.
Foley tackled the quarterback. [VERB noun]
Tackle is also a noun.
...a tackle by full-back Brian Burrows. [+ by]
3. verb
If you tackle someone about a particular matter, you speak to them honestly about it, usually in order to get it changed or done.
I tackled him about how anyone could live amidst so much poverty. [VERB noun + about]
Synonyms: confront, speak to, face up to, question More Synonyms of tackle
4. verb
If you tackle someone, you attack them and fight them.
He claims his attacker overtook and tackled him, pushing him into the dirt. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: grab, stop, throw, seize More Synonyms of tackle
5. uncountable noun
Tackle is the equipment that you need for a sport or activity, especially fishing.
...fishing tackle.
6. uncountable noun
Tackle is the equipment, usually consisting of ropes and pulleys, needed for lifting orpulling something.
I finally hoisted him up with a block and tackle.
Synonyms: rig, rigging, apparatus More Synonyms of tackle
More Synonyms of tackle
tackle in British English
(ˈtækəl, often nautical ˈteɪkəl)
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
fishing tackle
3. nautical
the halyards and other running rigging aboard a vessel
4. slang
a man's genitals
5. sport
a physical challenge to an opponent, as to prevent his or her progress with the ball
6. American football
a defensive lineman
verb
7. (transitive)
to undertake (a task, problem, etc)
8. (transitive)
to confront (a person, esp an opponent) with a difficult proposition
9. sport
(esp in football games) to challenge (an opponent) with a tackle
Derived forms
tackler (ˈtackler)
noun
Word origin
C13: related to Middle Low German takel ship's rigging, Middle Dutch taken to take
tackle in American English
(ˈtækəl; for 5, ; Nautical ˈteɪkəl)
noun
1.
apparatus; equipment; gear
fishing tackle
2.
a rope and pulley block, or a system of ropes and pulleys, used to lower, raise, or move various objects
3.
the act or an instance of tackling, as in football
4. US, American Football
a.
an offensive lineman who is primarily a blocker, usually positioned just outside an offensive guard
b.
a defensive lineman usually positioned near the offensive center
c.
a type of football in which the defensive players tackle the ballcarrier
see also touch football in full tackle football
5. Nautical
a. Archaic
a ship's rigging
b.
later, the running rigging and pulleys to operate the sails
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈtackled or ˈtackling
6.
to fasten by means of tackle
7.
to harness (a horse)
8.
to take hold of; seize
9.
a.
to undertake to do or solve (something difficult)
to tackle a job
b.
to deal with (a difficult person)
10. American Football
to stop (an opponent carrying the ball), esp. by knocking or throwing to the ground
11.
to knock or throw to the ground
a policeman tackled the fleeing robber
verb intransitive
12. American Football
to stop an opponent who is carrying the ball, esp. by knocking or throwing the opponentto the ground
13.
to knock or throw someone to the ground
Derived forms
tackler (ˈtackler)
noun
Word origin
ME takel < MDu, pulley, rope, equipment in general, prob. akin to MLowG tacken, to touch, press, ? akin to take
Examples of 'tackle' in a sentence
tackle
Social reform and tackling inequality will also play a huge role.
The Sun (2016)
Write a letter and say you will tackle the problem.
The Sun (2017)
He suffered face, hand and ankle burns trying to tackle the blaze with a garden hose.
The Sun (2016)
It's not just the tackle but also the system.
The Sun (2017)
Five workers also had to leave as around 20 firefighters tackled the lunchtime blaze.
The Sun (2016)
When I tackled him about it, he laughed.
The Sun (2016)
The trick I've learnt is to arrive early and scan the menu for something you can tackle with one hand.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
There has been one substantial attempt at tackling this subject before.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
When is the right time to tackle something?
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
They can be valuable pointers to areas of your life that need tackling.
Westcott, Patsy Alternative Health Care for Women (1991)
Yesterday he tackled the challenge of a foreign cashpoint as the couple strolled together in the sunshine.
The Sun (2011)
They still played their football but their tackling earned them the right to play it.
The Sun (2010)
That tackle was also a turning point.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The task was tackled in different ways.
Rutherford, Ward Celtic Mythology (1987)
Three teams of firefighters tackled the blaze for more than an hour.
The Sun (2015)
Your reluctance to tackle the problem head on may be justified.
Butterworth, Jane Why Am I Afraid to Divorce? (1994)
You see him sliding into tackles and making blocks.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The first six to nine months were all about tackling the steep learning curve of insurance.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
People want something done to tackle a problem that is disrupting huge numbers of lives.
The Sun (2009)
The former minister says that the crisis needs to be tackled with urgency and fresh thinking.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Three big reforms to tackle three big challenges.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
It is hard to lunge into tackles in international football.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
He has been booked just twice in the past two seasons and does not appear ruffled by heavy tackles.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Made some brilliant defensive tackles throughout.
The Sun (2009)
And quite pleased to have finally tackled Beauty after more than a decade of thinking about it.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
There will be heavy tackles at Stoke.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Word lists with
tackle
Terms used in American football, rugby
In other languages
tackle
British English: tackle /ˈtækl/ NOUN
A tackle is when you try to take the ball away from someone in a game such as football.
If you tackle a difficult task, you start dealing with it in a determined way.
They will need help to tackle the crisis.
American English: tackle
Arabic: يُعَالِجُ
Brazilian Portuguese: enfrentar
Chinese: 处理
Croatian: odlučno prionuti poslu
Czech: vypořádat se s problémem, úkolem
Danish: tackle
Dutch: aanpakken
European Spanish: abordar
Finnish: tarttua toimeen
French: s’attaquer à
German: angehen
Greek: μαρκάρω
Italian: affrontare
Japanese: 取り組む
Korean: (문제에) 착수하다
Norwegian: takle
Polish: szarżować
European Portuguese: enfrentar
Romanian: a aborda
Russian: приниматься
Latin American Spanish: abordar
Swedish: tackla
Thai: จัดการ
Turkish: üstesinden gelmek
Ukrainian: перехоплювати
Vietnamese: xử lý
All related terms of 'tackle'
nose tackle
→ nose guard
double tackle
a lifting or pulling tackle in which a rope is passed around the twin pulleys of a pair of pulley blocks in sequence
ground tackle
the anchors , anchor cables , and cable fittings used in anchoring a vessel
rugby tackle
A rugby tackle is a way of making someone fall over by throwing your arms around their legs or hips .
tackle fraud
Fraud is the crime of gaining money or financial benefits by a trick or by lying.
fishing tackle
Fishing tackle consists of all the equipment that is used in the sport of fishing, such as fishing rods, lines, hooks , and bait.
tackle disease
A disease is an illness which affects people, animals, or plants, for example one which is caused by bacteria or infection .
tackle poverty
Poverty is the state of being extremely poor .
tackle a blaze
A blaze is a large fire which is difficult to control and which destroys a lot of things.
tackle a task
A task is an activity or piece of work which you have to do, usually as part of a larger project.
tackle behaviour
People's or animals' behaviour is the way that they behave . You can refer to a typical and repeated way of behaving as a behaviour .
tackle immigration
Immigration is the coming of people into a country in order to live and work there.
tackle pollution
Pollution is poisonous or dirty substances that are polluting the water, air, or land somewhere .
block and tackle
a hoisting device in which a rope or chain is passed around a pair of blocks containing one or more pulleys . The upper block is secured overhead and the lower block supports the load , the effort being applied to the free end of the rope or chain
tackle a challenge
A challenge is something new and difficult which requires great effort and determination .
tackle a crisis
A crisis is a situation in which something or someone is affected by one or more very serious problems.
tackle a shortage
If there is a shortage of something, there is not enough of it.
tackle discrimination
Discrimination is the practice of treating one person or group of people less fairly or less well than other people or groups.
tackle the problem
A problem is a situation that is unsatisfactory and causes difficulties for people.
tackle the question
A question is a problem , matter, or point which needs to be considered.