Tac"kle, 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.
2. To fasten or attach, as with a tackle; to
harness; as, to tackle a horse into a coach or wagon.
[Colloq.]
3. To seize; to lay hold of; to grapple; as, a
wrestler tackles his antagonist; a dog tackles the
game.
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.Tac"kle (?; sometimes improperly pronounced ?, especially by
seamen), 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.
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.
☞ In Chaucer, it denotes usually an arrow or arrows.
3. (Naut.) The rigging and apparatus of a
ship; also, any purchase where more than one block is used.
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.