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tack |
Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Financial, Acronyms, Idioms, Wikipedia, Hutchinson | 0.02 sec. |
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tack1 1. a short sharp-pointed nail, usually with a flat and comparatively large head 2. Nautical the heading of a vessel sailing to windward, stated in terms of the side of the sail against which the wind is pressing 3. Nautical a. a course sailed by a sailing vessel with the wind blowing from forward of the beam b. one such course or a zigzag pattern of such courses 4. Nautical a. a sheet for controlling the weather clew of a course b. the weather clew itself 5. Nautical the forward lower clew of a fore-and-aft sail tack2 a. riding harness for horses, such as saddles, bridles, etc. b. (as modifier): the tack room tack [tak] (design engineering) A small, sharp-pointed nail with a broad flat head. (materials) Adhesive stickiness, such as occurs on the surface of a varnish or ink that has not completely dried. Also known as tackiness. (navigation) To change the course of a sailing vessel by coming about so as to take the wind from over the opposite bow (starboard or port). How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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We must tack within three arrow flights, or we may find a rock through our timbers. I was not a hundred yards from her when the wind came again in a clap; she filled on the port tack and was off again, stooping and skimming like a swallow. But he luffed the boat less delicately, spilling the wind shamelessly from the sail so as to prolong the tack to the north shore. |
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