tack

tack · noun¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*dHgʰ-n-
2. Frankish · derived from*takkō“twig, branch, shoot”
3. Middle English · inherited fromtak
4. English todaytack

From Middle English tak, takke (“hook; staple; nail”), from Old Northern French taque (“nail, pin, peg”), from Frankish *takkō (“twig, branch, shoot”), of unknown origin, but possibly from Proto-Indo-European *dHgʰ-n-, from the root *déHgʰ- (“to pinch; to tear, rip, fray”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Takke (“bough; branch; twig”), West Frisian takke (“branch”), tûk (“branch, smart, sharp”), Dutch tak (“twig; branch; limb”), German Zacke (“jag; prong; spike; tooth; peak”).

tack · verb²

1. Middle English · inherited fromtakken“to attach; nail”
2. English todaytack

From Middle English takken (“to attach; nail”), from the noun (see above).

tack · noun³

1. French · derived fromtache
2. English todaytack

From an old or dialectal form of French tache. See techy. Doublet of tache.

tack · noun⁴

Back-formation from tacky.

tack · noun⁵

1. Old Norse · derived fromtaka“to take”
2. Old Norse · derived fromtak
3. Middle English · inherited fromtak
4. English todaytack

From Middle English tak, take (“fee, tax (on livestock)”), from Old Norse tak, taka (“a taking, seizure; revenue”), from Old Norse taka (“to take”). Cognate with Scots tack.

Words from the same roots