tackle
noun · verb
Simple meaning
A play where a player try to take control over the ball from an opponent.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
takuhlSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈtækəl
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
sportscountable
A play where a player attempts to take control over the ball from an opponent, as in rugby or football.
rugbyAmerican footballcountable
A play where a defender brings the ball carrier to the ground.
countable
Any instance in which one person intercepts another and forces them to the ground.
A device for grasping an object and an attached means of moving it, as a rope and hook.
A block and tackle.
uncountableinformalby extension
Equipment, gear, gadgetry.
verb
To force a person to the ground with the weight of one's own body, usually by jumping on top or slamming one's weight into them.
To face or deal with, attempting to overcome or fight down.
singaporecolloquial
To "hit on" or pursue a person that one is interested in.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Frequency
- Moderately Common
- Typical Use
- Neutral / general English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: A play where a player attempts to take control over the ball from an opponent, as in rugby or football.
Used this way, tackle is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. This is a sporting use: familiar to anyone who follows the game, and puzzling to anyone who does not.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Moderately common
- Connotation
- Matter-of-fact
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Where it naturally appears
- Sports
- News/reporting
- Everyday conversation
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use tackle
- “It takes a big man to play tackle.”noun
- “The right tackle is a straight A student.”noun
- “I'll tackle this difficult task.”verb
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
Pulley blocks with associated rope or cable.
Gear used in fishing.
A mechanical device that prevents a vessel from moving.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.