tackle

Tackle is a polysemous term with several related but distinct meanings across sports, fishing, nautical and mechanical rigging, and general usage.

In sports such as American football and rugby, a tackle is a defensive action that stops or brings down an opponent. The term also refers to the player performing the hit. Rules in many sports restrict dangerous tackling and impose penalties when players use illegal techniques.

In fishing, tackle refers to the gear used to catch fish, including rods, reels, lines, hooks, lures, baits, floats, and storage such as tackle boxes. A shop that sells this equipment is called a tackle shop.

In nautical and mechanical contexts, tackle can denote equipment for lifting or hoisting heavy loads, especially block and tackle systems that use pulleys and rope. It also describes rigging and the associated gear used to manage sails and lines on ships and other vessels.

As a verb, tackle means to confront or deal with a task or problem; to tackle a project implies beginning work to resolve it. The term emphasizes action, planning, and effort applied to a designated objective.