TACKING • DICCIONARIO INGLES.COM • Definition of Tacking

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/tˈækɪŋ/ Listen

noun

Tacking n. (Law) A union of securities given at different times, all of which must be redeemed before an intermediate purchaser can interpose his claim. Note: The doctrine of tacking is not recognized in American law.

verb

Tack v. t. (past & past part. tacked; pres. part. tacking)

To fasten or attach. "In hopes of getting some commendam tacked to their sees." "And tacks the center to the sphere."

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.

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.

(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. Note: 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.

Tack 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. "Monk,... when he wanted his ship to tack to larboard, moved the mirth of his crew by calling out, "Wheel to the left.""

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Etymology of 'Tacking'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Tacking" Quotes from Famous Books

... sprit and heel tackle, the conventional method of reefing was not possible. The reef bands of the sails were parallel to the masts, and reefing was accomplished by lowering a sail and tying the reef points while rehoisting. The mast revolved in tacking in order to prevent binding of the sprit under the tension of the heel tackle. The tenon at the foot of the mast was round, and to the shoulder of the tenon a brass ring was nailed or screwed. Another brass ring was fastened around the mast step. These rings acted ...

— The Migrations of an American Boat Type • Howard I. Chapelle

... upon Sampson's return all would come out. Ezra reckoned, however, that it would be some time before the fisherman got back from his journey. What was a favourable wind going would be dead in his teeth coming back. It might take him a week's tacking and beating about before he got home. By that time Ezra hoped to be beyond the reach of all danger. He had a thousand five pound Bank of England notes sewn into the back of his waistcoat, for knowing that a crash might come at any ...

— The Firm of Girdlestone • Arthur Conan Doyle

... lighthouse. The clear water of the sound laps about it. The low-lying shore, the little uniform houses of the fishing-village, and the distant town are all shining in wonderful beauty. Out of the soft mist that hovers on the western horizon a fishing-boat comes gliding now and again. Tacking boldly, it steers towards the harbor. The water roars gaily past its bow as it shoots in through the narrow harbor entrance. The sail drops silently at the same moment. The fishermen swing their hats in joyous greeting, and on the bottom of the ...

— Invisible Links • Selma Lagerlof

... than I want to. There was an occasion when Peter and I lay at anchor in that bay, and a sudden shift of wind set us to beating out at three o'clock in the morning. The rocks were not uncovered then, but the waves were breaking fiercely over them. We had little room for tacking, and I am not likely to forget the time we went about a few yards to windward of them. The stretch of wild surf under our lee looked ghastly white in the dim twilight of the dawn. Peter knew what ...

— Our Casualty And Other Stories - 1918 • James Owen Hannay, AKA George A. Birmingham

... supply them and knew nothing about them. He asked me for a list of nurseries growing them. Nursery nut trees are not being produced in very great quantities except by Mr. Jones, and they are unlisted in the nursery catalogues, or only listed in an incidental way, very much as though they were tacking on something in the way of citrus fruit, ...

— Northern Nut Growers Association Report of the Proceedings at the 13th Annual Meeting - Rochester, N.Y. September, 7, 8 and 9, 1922 • Various

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