tuck 1
/tuk/ , v.t.
1. to put into a small, close, or concealing place: Tuck the money into your wallet.
2. to thrust in the loose end or edge of (a garment, covering, etc.) so as to hold closely in place (usually fol. by in, up, under, etc.): Tuck in your blouse. Tuck the edge of the sheet under the mattress.
3. to cover snugly in or as if in this manner: She tucked the children into bed.
4. to pull up into a fold or folds; draw up into a folded arrangement (usually fol. by in, up, etc.): to tuck up one's skirts; to tuck one's knees under one's chin.
5. Needlework. to sew tucks in.
6. to pass (a strand) above or below another one.
7. Informal. to eat or drink (usually fol. by in, away, etc.): He tucked away a big meal.
v.i.
8. to draw together; contract; pucker.
9. Needlework. to make tucks.
10. to fit securely or snugly: a bed that tucks into the corner.
11. tuck into , to eat with gusto: We tucked into a roast beef dinner.
n.
12. something tucked or folded in.
13. Sewing. a fold, or one of a series of folds, made by doubling cloth upon itself and stitching parallel with the edge of the fold, used for decoration or for shortening or fitting a garment.
14. Diving , Gymnastics. a body position in which the head is lowered and the thighs held against the chest with the knees bent and the arms locked around the shins. Cf. layout (def. 10), pike 7 .
15. Skiing. a crouch in which the ski poles are held close to the chest, extending back under the arms and parallel to the ground, as to maximize speed downhill.
16. Informal. a plastic surgery operation: a tummy tuck.
17. Naut. the part of a vessel where the after ends of the outside planking or plating unite at the sternpost.
18. (in tying knots) the operation of passing one strand above or below another.
19. Brit. Slang. food.
[ bef. 900; ME t ( o ) uken to stretch (cloth), torment, OE tucian to torment; akin to MLG tucken to tug, G zucken to jerk. See TOW 1 ]
tuck 2
/tuk/ , n. Informal.
tuxedo.
[ by shortening and resp. ]
tuck 3
/tuk/ , n. Archaic.
a rapier or estoc.
[ 1500-10; earlier tocke, appar. sandhi var. of obs. stock sword stocco Stock stick; c. STOCK ]
tuck 4
/tuk/ , n. Chiefly Scot.
a drumbeat or the sound of one beat on a drum.
[ 1300-50; ME tukken to beat, sound (said of a drum) toker to strike, touch. See TOUCH ]