TACK Tack, n. Etym: [OE. tak, takke, a fastening; akin to D. tak a branch, twig, G. zacke a twig, prong, spike, Dan. takke a tack, spike; cf. also Sw. tagg prickle, point, Icel. tag a willow twig, Ir. taca a peg, nail, fastening, Gael. tacaid, Armor. & Corn. tach; perhaps akin to E. take. Cf. Attach, Attack, Detach, Tag an end, Zigzag.]
1. A small, short, sharp-pointed nail, usually having a broad, flat head.
2. That which is attached; a supplement; an appendix. See Tack, v.
t., 3. Macaulay.
Some tacks had been made to money bills in King Charles's time. Bp.
Burnet.
3. (Naut.) (a) A rope used to hold in place the foremost lower corners of the courses when the vessel is closehauled (see Illust. of Ship); also, a rope employed to pull the lower corner of a studding sail to the boom. (b) The part of a sail to which the tack is usually fastened; the foremost lower corner of fore-and-aft sails, as of schooners (see Illust. of Sail). (c) The direction of a vessel in regard to the trim of her sails; as, the starboard tack, or port tack; — the former when she is closehauled with the wind on her starboard side; hence, the run of a vessel on one tack; also, a change of direction.
4. (Scots Law)
Defn: A contract by which the use of a thing is set, or let, for hire; a lease. Burrill.
5. Confidence; reliance. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell. Tack of a flag
(Naut.), a line spliced into the eye at the foot of the hoist for
securing the flag to the halyards.
— Tack pins (Naut.), belaying pins; — also called jack pins.
— To haul the tacks aboard (Naut.), to set the courses.
— To hold tack, to last or hold out. Milton.
TACK
Tack, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Tacked; p. pr. & vb. n. Tacking.] Etym:
[Cf. OD. tacken to touch, take, seize, fix, akin to E. take. See Tack
a small nail.]
1. To fasten or attach. "In hopes of getting some commendam tacked to their sees." Swift. And tacks the center to the sphere. Herbert.
2. Especially, to attach or secure in a slight or hasty manner, as by stitching or nailing; as, to tack together the sheets of a book; to tack one piece of cloth to another; to tack on a board or shingle; to tack one piece of metal to another by drops of solder.