tackle

TACK'LE, noun 1. A machine for raising or lowering heavy weights, consisting of a rope and blocks, called a pulley. 2. Instruments of action; weapons. She to her tackle fell. 3. An arrow. 4. The rigging and apparatus of a ship. Tackle-fall, the rope, or rather the end of the rope of a pulley, which falls and by which it is pulled. Ground-tackle, anchors, cables, etc. Gun-tackle, the instruments for hauling cannon in or out. Tack-tackle, a small tackle to pull down the tacks of the principal sails. TACK'LE, verb transitive To harness; as, to tackle a horse into a gig, sleigh, coach or wagon. [A legitimate and common use of the word in America.] 1. To seize; to lay hold of; as, a wrestler tackles his antagonist; a dog tackles the game. This is a common popular use of the word in New England, though not elegant. But it retains the primitive idea, to put on, to fall or throw on. [See Attack.] 2. To supply with tackle