tack

Demoralized or unenergetic. She's been flat as a tack ever since she heard that she didn't get into her top choice school.

Intelligent and a quick-thinker. Ted's as sharp as a tack, so he'll find a solution to this problem. Of course Ellen is our valedictorian—she's as sharp as a tack.

A change or reverse in one's position, opinion, or course of action. Likened to the act of tacking in a sailboat, in which the boat is brought into the wind so as to change direction. Following low approval ratings, the president had a change of tack regarding his immigration policy. Our sales are doing very poorly; we need a change of tack if we're going to survive the year.

To be intelligent and a quick-thinker. Ted's as sharp as a tack, so he'll find a solution to this problem. Of course Ellen is our valedictorian—she's as sharp as a tack.

The most important, fundamental, basic, or immediate facts, priorities, or realities of a situation. Used primarily in the phrase, "come/get down to brass tacks." We eventually got down to brass tacks and came up with a solution. Look, let's come down to brass tacks and decide how to handle the situation. The brass tacks are these: if you don't win this district, you won't win the election.

To employ a different method or approach in addressing a particular situation. They have not been receptive to our offers thus far, so we need to change tack. If diplomacy doesn't resolve this conflict, we will need to change tack and try a more aggressive approach.

slang A cigarette. Hey, can I bum a coffin tack off of you?

Focused on the most important aspects of a particular situation. Often used in the phrase "get down to brass tacks." Let's get down to brass tacks so that everyone has a good grasp on the project overall before we split up to do our separate parts. Don't get overwhelmed with this case, just get down to brass tacks.

To focus on the most important aspects of a particular situation. Let's get down to brass tacks so that everyone has a good grasp on the project overall before we split up to do our separate parts. Don't get overwhelmed with this case, just get down to brass tacks.

To go away and leave one alone because what is being done or said is very irritating. Often used as an imperative. A: "The experiment might work better if you actually knew what you were supposed to be mixing together." B: "You know what, Jenny? Why don't you go fly a kite?"

Seethingly angry; furious to the point of becoming irrational. I tell you, I was mad enough to spit tacks when they told me they'd given the grant to that hack, Dr. Warner. The boss was mad enough to spit tacks after he heard we'd lost the Jefferson account.

Progressing in a way that is likely to succeed. I think we're really on the right tack with this new environmental initiative. After all of those failed experiments, our team is finally on the right tack now.

Progressing in a way that will likely fail or be unsuccessful. All of these protestors think that we're really on the wrong tack with this new environmental initiative. Considering all of our failed experiments, our team must be on the wrong tack.

To fix, fasten, or secure something (to some surface, especially the ground) with or as with tacks or small nails. A noun or pronoun can be used between "tack" and "down." Remember to tack the tarp down, or it will get blown away when the storm hits! I've been meaning to tack down this loose step before someone falls over it.

To add something on to something else. A noun or pronoun can be used between "tack" or "on." Miss, can I tack a side of bacon onto my order? If you kids keep talking, I'll tack another essay onto your homework.

Fig. to begin to talk about important things; to get down to business. Let's get down to brass tacks. We've wasted too much time chatting. Don't you think that it's about time to get down to brass tacks?

to fasten something down with small nails. Someone had better tack this carpet down. Please tack down this carpet.

to add something onto something. The waiter kept tacking charges onto my bill. He tacked on charge after charge.

to fasten something onto something with tacks. The drapes started to fall, so we tacked them up again. Please tack up these posters.

Also, get down to bedrock or the nitty gritty or cases . Deal with the essentials; come to the point. For example, Stop delaying and get down to brass tacks, or We really need to get down to bedrock, or He has a way of getting down to the nitty gritty, or Let's get down to cases. The origin of the first phrase, dating from the late 1800s, is disputed. Some believe it alludes to the brass tacks used under fine upholstery, others that it is Cockney rhyming slang for "hard facts," and still others that it alludes to tacks hammered into a sales counter to indicate precise measuring points. The noun bedrock has signified the hard rock underlying alluvial mineral deposits since about 1850 and has been used figuratively to denote "bottom" since the 1860s. The noun nitty-gritty dates from the mid-1900s and alludes to the detailed ("nitty") and possibly unpleasant ("gritty") issue in question. The noun cases apparently alludes to the game of faro, in which the "case card" is the last of a rank of cards remaining in play; this usage dates from about 1900. Also see to the point.

Also, go chase yourself or climb a tree or jump in the lake or sit on a tack or soak your head . Go away and stop bothering me, as in Quit it, go fly a kite, or Go jump in the lake. All of these somewhat impolite colloquial imperatives date from the first half of the 1900s and use go as described under go and.

Also, on the right track. Proceeding satisfactorily; also, following the correct line of reasoning. For example, He thinks the housing market is improving, and he's on the right tack there, or That's not exactly so, but you're on the right track. The first term alludes to the direction of a sailboat, the second to the direction of a path. The same is true of the antonyms, on the wrong tack and on the wrong track, indicating an erroneous assumption or course of action. For example, He's on the wrong tack for finding a solution, or The researchers were on the wrong track altogether when they assumed the virus was transmitted by mosquitoes . The expressions using tack date from about 1900; those using track date from about 1880.

Also, on the wrong track. See under on the right tack.

Also, sharp as a razor. Mentally acute. For example, She's very witty-she's sharp as a tack. These similes are also used literally to mean "having a keen cutting edge" and have largely replaced the earlier sharp as a needle or thorn. The first dates from about 1900, the variant from the mid-1800s.

If people get down to brass tacks, they begin to discuss the basic, most important aspects of a situation. To get down to brass tacks, what I want to know is, do you know anything at all about her mother's side of the family? Note: The usual explanation for this expression is that in Cockney rhyming slang `brass tacks' are facts.

To arrive at the heart of the matter. Some think this late nineteenth-century term comes from Cockney rhyming slang for hard facts. Another possible and perhaps more likely source is the American general store, where a countertop was marked with brass tacks at one-yard intervals for measuring cloth, and “getting to brass tacks” meant measuring precisely. Still another theory is that in upholstered furniture, brass tacks were used to secure the undermost cloth, and to reupholster properly one had to strip the furniture to that layer. A mid-twentieth-century American synonym is to get down to the nitty-gritty, alluding to the detailed (nitty) and perhaps unpleasant (gritty) facts of the case. It was borrowed from black English, where it signified the anus and alluded to picking body lice (nits) from that body part. This association had been largely forgotten by the time the term was popularized by the 1964 hit song “The Nitty Gritty” by Shirley Ellis.

To take or be on the correct course of action or reasoning. The first expression refers to the tack of a sailing ship— that is, its course when it is tacking (steering in zigzag fashion when sailing to windward). The word “tack” was being transferred to a course of action by 1675. The second term, which dates from about 1880, alludes to the direction of a path. Both have antonyms—on the wrong tack or track—denoting a mistaken course of action or reasoning.

Singularly keen or cutting; also, mentally acute. This simile has largely supplanted the earlier sharp as a razor, needle, vinegar, and thorn, the last dating from the fifteenth century and appearing in John Ray’s 1670 proverb collection. The current cliché dates from the late nineteenth or early twentieth century and appeared in a 1912 issue of Dialect Notes: “They won’t fool him; he’s sharp as tacks.”

Get lost! Kite flying is an activity that is done far less now than in previous centuries. Accordingly, “go fly a kite!” is heard far less than “get lost!” “take a hike!” and “get your ass out of here!” (or something stronger).