Forms: 3–6 takel, 4–6 Sc. takil(l, 4–8 tacle, takle, 5 takul(l, 5–6 takell, -yl, -yll, tackyl (tickell), 6–7 tackel, -ell, 6–8 Sc. taikle, (8 teakle, Sc. -kil), 6– tackle. [app. of Low German origin: cf. MLG. takel equipment generally, e.g., of a horseman, spec. of a ship, hoisting apparatus, LG. takel, also early mod.Du. takel strong rope, hawser, pulley, mod.Ger. takel, Sw. tackel, Da. takkel tackle; f. MLG. taken, MDu. tacken to lay hold of, grasp, seize, with instrumental suffix -el: see -LE 1.]
1. Apparatus, utensils, instruments, implements, appliances; equipment, furniture, gear.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 883. And tol and takel and orf he [Abram] dede Wenden hom to here oȝen stede.
13[?]. Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS., xxviii. 32. Vr takel, vr tol, þat we on trowe.
1464. Mann. & Househ. Exp. (Roxb.), 248. Payd ffor my masterys takelys, ij.d.
1539. Will L. Godsman (Somerset Ho.). Item I give all my tickell … to the chapell of Saynt James to the making of the Northe Ille.
1626. B. Jonson, Staple of N., Epil. We’are sorry that haue so mis-spent Our Time and Tackle.
1669. Penn, No Cross, I. iv. § 10. To transport themselves, or tackle in a Journey.
1717. Derham, in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.), I. 365. I am sorry my tackle was not ready when you would have favoured me with your company.
1815. Mme. D’Arblay, Diary (1876), IV. 295. As I had no writing tackle, I sent him … to procure me proper implements at the stationer’s.
1889. J. K. Jerome, Three Men in Boat, 64. George wanted the shaving tackle.
2. The rigging of a ship: in early use often in wider sense of ‘equipment’ or ‘gear’ as in 1; in later use spec. the running rigging or ropes used in working the sails, etc., with their pulleys; passing into sense 3: Ground tackle, anchors, cables, etc., by which a ship is made fast to the ground.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 24944. Ful fair bicome þat see to sight, And þai bigan þair takel dight.
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 312. The reyni Storm fell doun algates, And al here takel made unwelde.
1450–1530. Myrr. our Ladye, 226. Dresseth surely the ropes and shyp tacle.
1481. Caxton, Godeffroy, 261. They … bare away cordes, cables and saylles, and the other takle, and leyde it in the fortresse.
1585. T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy., I. xxi. 27 b. Vpon all the gallies … and other vessels all along vpon the takels, yardes, and other ropes and poupes…, aboue 300 candels.
1633. Sir J. Boroughs, Sov. Brit. Seas (1651), 125. To brooke the seas, and to know the use of the tackles, and compasse.
1671. Milton, Samson, 717. With all her bravery on, and tackle trim, Sails fill’d, and streamers waving.
a. 1687. Sir W. Petty, Pol. Arith. (1690), 14. Holland is … for keeping Ships in Harbour with small expence of Men and ground Tackle.
1745. P. Thomas, Jrnl. Anson’s Voy., 282. The Second Shot … carry’d away … our Fore-stay Tackle.
1885. Sir J. C. Matthew, in Law Times Rep., LII. 265/1. The vessel … was sold as she lay with her gear and tackle.
b. Cordage; a rope used for any purpose.
1529. Act 21 Hen. VIII., c. 12 § 1. Diuers … persons … provide Hemp, and thereof make Cables, Ropes,… Traces, Halters, and other Tackle.
1542. Aberdeen Regr. (1844), I. 185. For vij stane or takkillis … for bynding of the gunnis.
1570. Levins, Manip., 6/11. A Tackle, capulum.
1712. Steele, Spect., No. 454, ¶ 4. The Tackle of the Coach-window is so bad she cannot draw it up again.
fig. 1893. Stevenson, Heathercat, iii. The circle of faces was strangely characteristic; long, serious, strongly marked, the tackle standing out in the lean brown cheeks.
3. An arrangement consisting of a rope and pulley-block, or more usually a combination of ropes and blocks, used to obtain a purchase in raising or shifting a heavy body.
1539–40. in Devon. N. & Q., Oct. (1903), 238. Ropys, poleys and other takle to hawse uppe the ledde uppon the Castell.
1626. Capt. Smith, Accid. Yng. Seamen, 16. Sheeps feet is a stay in setling a top mast, and a guie in staying the tackles when they are charged with goods.
1722. in Hist. Brechin (1867), 133. Item for a big teakil, being double the hight of the small steeple £40 Scots.
1731. Desaguliers, in Phil. Trans., XXXVII. 292. The Machine consists of three Pullies (two upper and one lower, or a Tackle of Three).
1769. Fitz Gerald, in Phil. Trans., LX. 78. It would not be difficult, with a proper teakle, to raise a barometer of this kind … as high as 200 feet.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., I. 507. The cannon were raised by large brass tacles … from rock to rock.
1830. Kater & Lardner, Mech., xv. 198. A combination of blocks, sheaves, and ropes is called a tackle.
1859. F. A. Griffiths, Artil. Man. (1862), 107. A simple tackle consists of one or more pulleys rove with a single rope.
b. A windlass and its appurtenances, used for hoisting ore, etc.; also, generally, the apparatus of cages or kibbles, with their chains and hooks, for raising ore or coal.
1874. J. H. Collins, Metal Mining (1875), 79. The first machine used in mining operations for raising ore or deads is usually the tackle or windlass.
1881. Raymond, Mining Gloss., Tackle (Corn.), the windlass, rope, and kibble.
† 4. Implements of war, weapons; esp. arrows; also, a weapon; an arrow. Obs.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, v. (Johannes), 486. It [a bow] suld hafe bene sone out of pyth To schot ony takil vith.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Prol., 106. A sheef of pecok arwes bright and kene … Wel koude he dresse his takel yemanly.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 1729. Shette att me so wondir smert, That thorough myn eye unto myn hert The takel smote, and depe it wente.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 485/2. Tacle, or wepene, armamentum.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, IX. x. 78. His bow … bend hes he, Tharin a takyll set of sovyr tre.
a. 1550. Christis Kirke Gr., x. Ane hasty hensure, callit Hary … Tilt up a taikle withouten tary.
1663. Butler, Hud., I. III. 823. This said, she to her Tackle fell, And on the Knight let fall a peal Of Blows so fierce.
† b. Phr. To stand (or stick) to one’s tackle: cf. TACKLING vbl. sb. 3. Obs.
1577–87. Holinshed, Chron., I. 119/1. The Englishmen would in no wise giue ouer, but did sticke to their tackle.
1586. J. Hooker, Hist. Irel., in Holinshed, II. 9/2. To incourage his people to stand to their tackle, and valiently to withstand Mac Morough.
1724. De Foe, Mem. Cavalier (1840), 87. Two regiments of country militia … stood to their tackle better than well enough [in defence of a town].
1828. E. Irving, Last Days, 230. You would have armed the house against him, and stood to your tackle all the night.
5. Apparatus for fishing; fishing-gear, fishing-tackle.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XI. viii. (Tollem. MS.). Aristotel sayeþ þat fischeres heldeþ hoot water on here instrumentes and takles, þat þey be þe raþer frore. Ibid., XIII. xxix. [The fish] comeþ ofter in to newe tacle þat is set for hem, þan in to olde.
1711. Gay, Rural Sports, I. 181. The Peacock’s plumes, thy tackle must not fail.
1783. Johnson, 20 April, in Boswell. I indeed now could fish, give me English tackle.
1850. Act 13 & 14 Vict., c. 88 § 1. The word ‘net’ shall … include all descriptions of tackle, trawl, trammel, stake, bag, coghill, eel, haul, draft, and seine nets.
1867. F. Francis, Angling, i. (1880), 27. Use the very neatest tackle which you can afford for roach.
6. The equipment of a horse; harness.
1683. Burnet, trans. More’s Utopia (1685), 115. Take off both his Saddle, and all his other Tackle.
1725. T. Thomas, in Portland Papers, VI. (Hist. MSS. Comm.), 133. [The] coach … I thought could hardly have been able to get over … without some loss either to the poor beasts, or the tackle.
1728. Vanbrugh & Cib., Prov. Husb. I. i. Our Tackle was not so tight as it should be.
1890. ‘R. Boldrewood,’ Col. Reformer (1891), 102. I’ve backed two a weck since I came, and have three in tackle, in the yard now.
† 7. A mistress. Obs. slang.
1688. Shadwell, Sqr. Alsatia, IV. Wks. 1720, IV. 85. Oh my dear Blowing, my Convenient, My tackle.
a. 1700. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, Tackle, a Mistress.
8. Victuals; food or drink; ‘stuff.’ slang.
1857. Hughes, Tom Brown, I. iv. The purl warms the cockles of Tom’s heart…. ‘Rare tackle that, sir, of a cold morning,’ says the coachman.
1900. G. Swift, Somerley, 113. Do you think ladies usually eat that stodgy tackle?
9. [from the vb.] Football. a. The act of tackling: see TACKLE v. 5.
1901. Scotsman, 11 March, 4/8. Neill, by a plucky tackle … prevented a break away.
1905. Oxford Mag., 22 Feb., 215/1. One of his tackles was excellent.
b. In American football: Each of two players (right and left) stationed next to the end rusher or forward in the rush-line.
1894. Outing (U.S.), XXIV. 281/1. Every one knew he had been a famous tackle on one of the football teams.
1905. McClure’s Mag. (U.S.), June, 123/2. Captain and right-tackle of the Yale eleven.
10. attrib. and Comb., as tackle-box, -chain, -dealer, -hook, -maker, -shop; tackle-block, = BLOCK sb.5; tackle-board, a frame, placed at the end of a rope-walk, containing the whirls to which the yarns are attached to be twisted; tackle-fall, = FALL sb.1 26; tackle-man, a man who works the tackle, e.g., of a gun. See TACKLE-HOUSE, -PORTER.
1793. Smeaton, Edystone L., § 122. A pair of *tackle-blocks.
1905. Daily Chron., 26 July, 4/7. Banks … lined with seedy, quiet, elderly men with *tackle-boxes, evening papers, and roach-poles.
1865. S. Ferguson, Lays West. Gael, 119. The windlass strains the *tackle chains, the black mound heaves below.
1698. in MSS. Ho. Lords (1905), III. 338. We were forced to unreeve our *tackle-falls to make lanyards for our lower shrouds.
1769. Falconer, Dict. Marine (1789), Garant, a tackle-fall, or the part upon which the labourers pull in hoisting.
1857. Hughes, Tom Brown, I. ix. The little *tackle-maker … would soon have made his fortune had the rage lasted.
1859. F. A. Griffiths, Artil. Man. (1862), 207. Traversing *tacklemen … 7 and 8.
1873. Routledge’s Yng. Gentl. Mag., Jan., 79/2. The ‘rear tackleman’ … held the end of the tackle.
1909. Nation (N. Y.), 3 Oct., 12/1. Flies … bought at a *tackle-shop.
