tackle
tackle
UK[ˈtækl]US[ˈtækl]
v
to make a determined effort to deal with a difficult problem or situation
v
(in sports such as football or hockey) to try to take the ball from an opponent
n
the equipment required for a task or sport
n
(in american football or rugby) an act of stopping an opponent by forcing them to the ground
Etymology
the word 'tackle' entered english in the late middle english period, borrowed from middle low german 'takel', meaning the rigging or gear on a ship. this low german term is likely related to middle dutch 'taken', meaning 'to grasp or seize'. the core semantic thread from its germanic origins is the concept of apparatus or gear used for grasping or handling. this foundational meaning of 'equipment' logically extended in two key directions: first, to the verb meaning 'to take hold of and deal with' a problem, and second, to the specific sporting actions of seizing an opponent or attempting to take possession of a ball, reflecting the original sense of seizing with apparatus or bodily force.
Analysis
the word is a simplex. it is a loanword from middle low german, where its form was related to tools or equipment.
Examples
the government must tackle the issue of climate change with more decisive policies.
the defender made a perfectly timed tackle to prevent a certain goal.
he packed his fishing tackle into the car for a weekend at the lake.