v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Attacked p. pr. & vb. n. Attacking. ] [ F. attaquer, orig. another form of attacher to attack: cf. It. attacare to fasten, attack. See Attach, Tack a small nail. ] 1. To fall upon with force; to assail, as with force and arms; to assault. “Attack their lines.” Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To assail with unfriendly speech or writing; to begin a controversy with; to attempt to overthrow or bring into disrepute, by criticism or satire; to censure; as, to attack a man, or his opinions, in a pamphlet. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To set to work upon, as upon a task or problem, or some object of labor or investigation. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To begin to affect; to begin to act upon, injuriously or destructively; to begin to decompose or waste. [ 1913 Webster ]

On the fourth of March he was attacked by fever. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Hydrofluoric acid . . . attacks the glass. B. Stewart. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To Attack, Assail, Assault, Invade. These words all denote a violent onset; attack being the generic term, and the others specific forms of attack. To attack is to commence the onset; to assail is to make a sudden and violent attack, or to make repeated attacks; to assault (literally, to leap upon) is to attack physically by a had-to-hand approach or by unlawful and insulting violence; to invade is to enter by force on what belongs to another. Thus, a person may attack by offering violence of any kind; he may assail by means of missile weapons; he may assault by direct personal violence; a king may invade by marching an army into a country. Figuratively, we may say, men attack with argument or satire; they assail with abuse or reproaches; they may be assaulted by severe temptations; the rights of the people may be invaded by the encroachments of the crown. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To make an onset or attack. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. attaque. ] 1. The act of attacking, or falling on with force or violence; an onset; an assault; -- opposed to defense. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An assault upon one's feelings or reputation with unfriendly or bitter words. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A setting to work upon some task, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. An access of disease; a fit of sickness. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. The beginning of corrosive, decomposing, or destructive action, by a chemical agent. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being attacked. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. affected by disease.
Syn. -- infected. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. One who attacks. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. the part of the chimney that is above the roof; it usually has several flues. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. t. To supply with tackle. [ Obs. ] Skelton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A tackle or purchase used to raise the flukes of the anchor up to the gunwale. The block used is called the fish-block. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Of American Indian origin. ] (Bot.) The American larch (Larix Americana), a coniferous tree with slender deciduous leaves; also, its heavy, close-grained timber. Called also tamarack. [ 1913 Webster ]

or n. 1. A name given by soldiers and sailors to a kind of unleavened hard biscuit or sea bread. Called also pilot biscuit, pilot bread, ship biscuit and ship bread [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Any of several mahogany trees, esp. the Cercocarpus betuloides. MW10 [ PJC ]

n. A stack or conical pile of hay in the open air. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A chimney; esp., a pipe serving as a chimney, as the pipe which carries off the smoke of a locomotive, the funnel of a steam vessel, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Icel. stakkr; akin to Sw. stack, Dan. stak. Cf. Stake. ] 1. A large and to some degree orderly pile of hay, grain, straw, or the like, usually of a nearly conical form, but sometimes rectangular or oblong, contracted at the top to a point or ridge, and sometimes covered with thatch. [ 1913 Webster ]

But corn was housed, and beans were in the stack. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence: An orderly pile of any type of object, indefinite in quantity; -- used especially of piles of wood. A stack is usually more orderly than a pile [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

Against every pillar was a stack of billets above a man's height. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Specifically: A pile of wood containing 108 cubic feet. [ Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Hence: A large quantity; as, a stack of cash. [ Informal ] [ PJC ]

5. (Arch.) (a) A number of flues embodied in one structure, rising above the roof. Hence: (b) Any single insulated and prominent structure, or upright pipe, which affords a conduit for smoke; as, the brick smokestack of a factory; the smokestack of a steam vessel. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Computer programming) (a) A section of memory in a computer used for temporary storage of data, in which the last datum stored is the first retrieved. (b) A data structure within random-access memory used to simulate a hardware stack; as, a push-down stack. [ PJC ]

7. pl. The section of a library containing shelves which hold books less frequently requested. [ PJC ]

Stack of arms (Mil.), a number of muskets or rifles set up together, with the bayonets crossing one another, forming a sort of conical self-supporting pile. --
to blow one's stacks to become very angry and lose one's self-control, and especially to display one's fury by shouting. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Stacked p. pr. & vb. n. Stacking. ] [ Cf. Sw. stacka, Dan. stakke. See Stack, n. ] 1. To lay in a conical or other pile; to make into a large pile; as, to stack hay, cornstalks, or grain; to stack or place wood. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Specifically: To place in a vertical arrangement so that each item in a pile is resting on top of another item in the pile, except for the bottom item; as, to stack the papers neatly on the desk; to stack the bricks. [ PJC ]

3. To select or arrange dishonestly so as to achieve an unfair advantage; as, to stack a deck of cards; to stack a jury with persons prejudiced against the defendant. [ PJC ]

To stack arms (Mil.), to set up a number of muskets or rifles together, with the bayonets crossing one another, and forming a sort of conical pile. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. Hay, grain, or the like, in stacks; things stacked. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A tax on things stacked. [ R. ] Holinshed. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. estacade and E. stockade. ] (Mil.) A stockade. [ Scot. ] Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A covering or protection, as of canvas, for a stack. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. & n. from Stack. [ 1913 Webster ]

Stacking band,
Stacking belt, a band or rope used in binding thatch or straw upon a stack. --
Stacking stage, a stage used in building stacks. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A staging for supporting a stack of hay or grain; a staddle{ 2 }; a rickstand. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A yard or inclosure for stacks of hay or grain. A. Smith. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. (Naut.) To change the direction of a vessel by shifting the position of the helm and sails; also (as said of a vessel), to have her direction changed through the shifting of the helm and sails. See Tack, v. t., 4. [ 1913 Webster ]

Monk, . . . when he wanted his ship to tack to larboard, moved the mirth of his crew by calling out, “Wheel to the left.” Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From an old or dialectal form of F. tache. See Techy. ] 1. A stain; a tache. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. [ Cf. L. tactus. ] A peculiar flavor or taint; as, a musty tack. [ Obs. or Colloq. ] Drayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ 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. tāg 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which is attached; a supplement; an appendix. See Tack, v. t., 3. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Some tacks had been made to money bills in King Charles's time. Bp. Burnet. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ 1913 Webster ]

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; as, to take a different tack; -- often used metaphorically. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Scots Law) A contract by which the use of a thing is set, or let, for hire; a lease. Burrill. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Confidence; reliance. [ Prov. Eng. ] Halliwell. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Tacked p. pr. & vb. n. Tacking. ] [ 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

And tacks the center to the sphere. Herbert. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. In parliamentary usage, to add (a supplement) to a bill; to append; -- often with on or to; as, to tack on a non-germane appropriation to a bill. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Naut.) To change the direction of (a vessel) when sailing closehauled, by putting the helm alee and shifting the tacks and sails so that she will proceed to windward nearly at right angles to her former course. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In tacking, a vessel is brought to point at first directly to windward, and then so that the wind will blow against the other side. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who tacks. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Dim. of tack a small nail. ] A small, broad-headed nail. [ Scot. ] Jamieson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. & n. See Tacky. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Law) A union of securities given at different times, all of which must be redeemed before an intermediate purchaser can interpose his claim. Bouvier. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The doctrine of tacking is not recognized in American law. Kent. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. takel, akin to LG. & D. takel, Dan. takkel, Sw. tackel; perhaps akin to E. taw, v. t., or to take. ] 1. Apparatus for raising or lowering heavy weights, consisting of a rope and pulley blocks; sometimes, the rope and attachments, as distinct from the block, in which case the full appratus is referred to as a block and tackle. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Any instruments of action; an apparatus by which an object is moved or operated; gear; as, fishing tackle, hunting tackle; formerly, specifically, weapons. “She to her tackle fell.” Hudibras. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In Chaucer, it denotes usually an arrow or arrows. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Naut.) The rigging and apparatus of a ship; also, any purchase where more than one block is used. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fall and tackle. See the Note under Pulley. --
Fishing tackle. See under Fishing, a. --
Ground tackle (Naut.), anchors, cables, etc. --
Gun tackle, the apparatus or appliances for hauling cannon in or out. --
Tackle fall, the rope, or rather the end of the rope, of a tackle, to which the power is applied. --
Tack tackle (Naut.), a small tackle to pull down the tacks of the principal sails. --
Tackle board,
Tackle post (Ropemaking), a board, frame, or post, at the end of a ropewalk, for supporting the spindels, or whirls, for twisting the yarns. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Tackled p. pr. & vb. n. Tackling. ] [ Cf. LG. takeln to equip. See Tackle, n. ] 1. To supply with tackle. Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To fasten or attach, as with a tackle; to harness; as, to tackle a horse into a coach or wagon. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To seize; to lay hold of; to grapple; as, a wrestler tackles his antagonist; a dog tackles the game. [ 1913 Webster ]

The greatest poetess of our day has wasted her time and strength in tackling windmills under conditions the most fitted to insure her defeat. Dublin Univ. Mag. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Football) To cause the ball carrier to fall to the ground, thus ending the forward motion of the ball and the play. [ PJC ]

5. To begin to deal with; as, to tackle the problem. [ PJC ]

n. (Football) 1. An act of tackling{ 4 }; as, brought down by a tackle by a lineman. [ PJC ]

2. (Football) One of two linemen on a football team, occupying a position between the guard and an end; also, the position played by such a tackle. [ PJC ]

a. Made of ropes tacked together. [ 1913 Webster ]

My man shall be with thee,
And bring thee cords made like a tackled stair. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Naut.) 1. Furniture of the masts and yards of a vessel, as cordage, sails, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Instruments of action; as, fishing tackling. Walton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The straps and fixures adjusted to an animal, by which he draws a carriage, or the like; harness. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Tacksmen (Scots Law) One who holds a tack or lease from another; a tenant, or lessee. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

The tacksmen, who formed what may be called the “peerage” of the little community, must be the captains. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Written also tackey. ] An ill-conditioned, ill-fed, or neglected horse; also, a person in a like condition. [ Southern U. S. ] [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. [ Etymol. uncert. ] 1. Dowdy, shabby, or neglected in appearance; unkempt. [ Local, U. S. ] [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. In poor taste; appearing cheap; gaudy; unstylish. Broadly used to describe objects whose style is disapproved of by the speaker. [ PJC ]

3. Tactless; in poor taste; -- used to describe behavior. [ PJC ]

a. [ Cf. Techy, Tack a spot. ] Sticky; somewhat adhesive;; -- said of paint, varnish, etc., when not well dried. [ U. S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Tick to beat, to pat, and (for sense 2) cf. Tricktrack. ] 1. A noise like that made by a clock or a watch. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A kind of backgammon played both with men and pegs; tricktrack. [ 1913 Webster ]

A game at ticktack with words. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. With a ticking noise, like that of a watch. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Naut.) A tackle used in hoisting and lowering the topmast. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ 1st pref. un- + stack. ] To remove, or take away, from a stack; to remove, as something constituting a stack. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ 1st pref. un- + tack. ] To separate, as what is tacked; to disjoin; to release. [ 1913 Webster ]

being untacked from honest cares. Barrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ 1st pref. un- + tackle. ] To unbitch; to unharness. [ Colloq. ] Tusser. [ 1913 Webster ]