I. ˈtək verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English tuken, touken, tucken, from Old English tūcian to ill-treat, punish; akin to Middle Dutch tucken to tug, Old High German zucken to jerk, Old English togian to pull — more at tow
transitive verb
1. obsolete : scold , upbraid
2.
a. : to pull up or gather into a fold — usually used with up or in
a geisha tucks her robe well up to her knees — Lafcadio Hearn
b. : to make a tuck in ; especially : to shorten or ornament with a tuck
the bodice was minutely tucked — Kay Boyle
c. : to knit in tuck stitch
3. archaic : to draw up and gird the clothes of
4. : to put into a snug place
tucked her notebook under her arm — Dorothy Sayers
specifically : to put into a snug place that affords concealment or isolation
philosophically tucked his handful of medals into an old cigar box — Time
beaches lie tucked in between its rocky cliffs — American Guide Series: Maine
— often used with away
a modern colonial brick structure … has been tucked away in a corner — American Guide Series: Connecticut
many of his bitterest attacks were tucked away in footnotes — J.S.Schapiro
5.
a. : to push in the loose end or edge of so as to hold tightly
tucked in the sheets
forgot to tuck in your shirttail — John Steinbeck
tucked a blanket around the child
b. : to cover (as a person) by tucking in the bedclothes
is tucking him in now
tucked him up at last in his crib — Marcia Davenport
6. archaic : hang 1b(1) — usually used with up
7. : eat — usually used with away or in
tucked away both steak and chicken — W.T.Musgrove
tuck in as much as they desire — Strand Magazine
8. : to take (fish) from a large seine with a tuck seine
9. : to put into a tuck position
tuck the legs to the chest — N.C.Loken
intransitive verb
1. : to draw together into tucks or folds
2. : to eat heartily — usually used with into or in
the careless abandon of a vegetarian tucking into his beans — Science
3.
a. : to fit in snugly
the helicopter … tucks away into a hangar at the open end of the ship — Douglas Willis
b. : to fit in under something that binds
tailored shirts which tuck in — Women's Wear Daily
•
- tuck one's tail
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English tucke, from tuken, tucken to tuck
1.
a.
(1) : a fold stitched or woven into cloth for the purpose of shortening, decorating, or controlling fullness
(2) : a gusset in the side of a paper bag
b. : something that shortens or diminishes : cut
the opera lasts five hours if you take no tucks in score — Claudia Cassidy
2. : tuck seine
3. : the part of a vessel where the ends of the lower planks meet under the stern
4. Britain
a. : a large meal : spread
b. : food ; especially : sweet foods (as pastry, jam, and candy)
5.
a. : an act or instance of pushing in a loose end or edge so as to secure
gave the blankets a few more tucks
b.
(1) : the act of tucking a strand of rope between or under other strands
(2) : the joint so made
6.
a. : a flap on a book cover that folds over and fits into a slot or a band on the opposite cover so as to keep the book closed — called also tuck-in
b. : the part of the end flap of a paperboard box that is inserted into the body to secure the end
7. : the end of a cigar that is to be lighted
8. : a body position used in diving, gymnastics, and dancing in which the knees are bent, the thighs drawn tightly to the chest, and the hands clasped around the shins — compare layout 5, 11 pike
9. : a fabric or leather covering for the steel shank of a shoe
III. ˈtək noun
also touk ˈtu̇k
( -s )
Etymology: obs, English tuk, touk to beat the drum, sound the trumpet, from Middle English tukken, from Old North French toquer to touch, strike, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin toccare — more at touch
: a sound of or as if of a drumbeat
danced silently to the tuck of drum — J.G.Frazer
IV. ˈtək noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle French estoc thrusting sword, from Old French, tree trunk, sword point — more at estoc
archaic : rapier
V. noun
( -s )
Etymology: probably from tuck (II)
: vigor , energy , toughness
seemed to kind of take the tuck all out of me — Mark Twain
VI. noun
( -s )
Etymology: by shortening & alteration
: tuxedo