tackle

[tak-uh l or for 2–4, tey-kuh l] /ˈtæk əl or for 2–4, ˈteɪ kəl/
noun
1.
equipment, apparatus, or gear, especially for fishing:
fishing tackle.
2.
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.
any system of leverage using several pulleys.
4.
Nautical. 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.
Football.
  1. either of the linemen stationed between a guard and an end.
  2. the position played by this lineman.
7.
(formerly) tack1 (def 8).
verb (used with object), tackled, tackling.
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.
Football. to seize, stop, or throw down (a ball-carrier).
12.
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, especially in order to stop.
verb (used without object), tackled, tackling.
14.
Football. to tackle an opponent having the ball.
Origin
1200-50; Middle English takel gear, apparatus < Middle Low German; akin to take
Related forms
tackler, noun
retackle, verb (used with object), retackled, retackling.
Examples from the web for tackle
  • So far the effort to tackle global warming has achieved little.
  • He's a right tackle with fairly limited drive-blocking power.
  • Yet another bipartisan panel gets ready to tackle the deficit.
  • With more people now falling sick from malaria than ever before, the need to tackle it has never been so urgent.
  • Researchers tackle a mysterious genetic phenomenon.
  • Join the local bikers, hikers and rollerbladers who tackle the pieces of the path.
  • Some people are able to tackle those problems head-on, without any apparent fear or hesitation.
  • He can play defensive tackle or defensive end, but has generally lined up inside throughout his career.
  • Why strategies to tackle climate change will boost the economy.
  • Yet modern readers barely have time to read their e-mail, let alone tackle a million word masterpiece.
British Dictionary definitions for tackle

tackle

/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 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, noun
Word Origin
C13: related to Middle Low German takel ship's rigging, Middle Dutch taken to take
Word Origin and History for tackle
n.

mid-13c., "apparatus, gear," from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German takel "the rigging of a ship," perhaps related to Middle Dutch taken "grasp, seize" (see take (v.)), or perhaps from root of tack (n.1). Meaning "apparatus for fishing" is recorded from late 14c. The noun meaning "act of tackling" in the sporting sense is recorded from 1876 (see tackle (v.)); as the name of a position in North American football, it is recorded from 1884.

v.

mid-14c., "entangle, involve," from tackle (n.). Sense of "to furnish (a ship) with tackles" is from c.1400; meaning "to harness a horse" is recorded from 1714. The meaning "lay hold of, come to grips with, attack" is attested from 1828, described by Webster that year as "a common popular use of the word in New England, though not elegant;" figurative sense of "try to deal with" (a task or problem) is from 1840. The verb in the sporting sense first recorded 1867. Related: Tackled; tackling.