tack¹ /tak/

1. A short, sharp nail with a broad head
2. A drawing pin (N American)
3. A long loose temporary stitch
4. A fastening strip
5. A rope or other fastening for the lower windward corner of a sail (nautical)
6. The corner itself (nautical)
7. The course of a sailing ship with respect to the side of the sail against which the wind is blowing (nautical)
8. An alternate course in zigzag to take advantage of wind blowing from the side when sailing to windward (nautical)
9. A course of action
10. A direction taken in argument, thinking, etc
11. A change of policy, a strategical move
12. Something tacked on
13. Stickiness

1. To attach or fasten, esp in a loose, hasty or impermanent manner, eg by tacks or long loose stitches
2. To append or affix (with on)
3. To change the course of (a sailing ship) by a tack (nautical)
4. To steer (a sailing ship) by tacking

1. To change the course or tack of a ship by shifting the position of the sails (nautical)
2. To zigzag
3. To shift one's position, to veer
4. To change one's position or behaviour, often abruptly

tacked adjective

tackˈer noun

tackˈet noun (Scot and dialect)

A hobnail

tackˈety adjective

tackˈily adverb

tackˈiness noun

tackˈing noun

1. Proceeding by tacks (nautical)
2. Fastening
3. Fastening by tacks
4. Introducing into a bill (esp a money bill) provisions beyond its natural scope (politics)

tackˈy adjective (tackˈier; tackˈiest)

Slightly sticky

tackedˈ-on adjective

tack hammer noun

A light hammer for driving in tacks

tackˈ-weld transitive verb and intransitive verb

To join (pieces of metal) with several welds placed some distance apart

tackˈ-welding noun

change tack

To change course, take a new direction

on the right (or wrong) tack

Following the right (or wrong) course of action, train of thought, etc

tack² /tak/

Riding harness, saddles, bridles, etc

tack room noun

A room in or near a stable where tack is kept

tack³ /tak/

Food generally, fare, esp of the bread kind, such as hard tack (ship biscuit), soft tack (loaves)

tack⁴ /tak/

The sound of a sharp tap

tack⁶ /tak/ (Scot)

1. A tenure
2. A lease
3. A leased tenement
4. A spell
5. A take or catch

tacksˈman noun (Scot)

1. A lessee
2. In the Scottish Highlands, a person who holds a lease and sublets

tack⁷ /tak/ (dialect)

Any distinctive flavour, smack

tacky¹ /takˈi/ (informal)

1. Shabby
2. Sleazy
3. Vulgar, gaudy, in bad taste

A poor ill-conditioned horse or person

tack noun

1. (back-formation) a shabby, vulgar or gaudy object or collection of objects
2. Sleaze
3. Bad taste

tackˈily adverb

tackˈiness noun

• brainlessly
• brainlessness
• brainlessnesses
• brain-pan
• brainpan
• brainpans
• brainpower
• brainpowers
• brains
• brainsick
• brainsickly
• brainsickness
• brainsicknesses
• brainstem
• brainstems
• brainstorm
• buccinatory
• Buccinum
• bucellas
• bucellases
• Bucentaur
• Bucephalus
• Buchmanism
• Buchmanite
• buchu