tackle

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
tackle/ˈtakl/

▶noun

• 1 the equipment required for a task or sport.

• 2 a mechanism consisting of ropes, pulley blocks, and hooks for lifting heavy objects.

  ■ the running rigging and pulleys used to work a boat's sails.

• 3 (in sport) an act of tackling an opponent.

• 4 American Football a player who lines up next to the end along the line of scrimmage.

• 5 (also wedding tackle) Brit. vulgar slang a man's genitals.

▶verb

• 1 make determined efforts to deal with (a difficult task).

  ■ initiate discussion with (someone) about a sensitive issue.

• 2 (in soccer, hockey, rugby, etc.) intercept (an opponent in possession of the ball).

– derivatives
tackler noun.

– origin ME: prob. from Mid. Low Ger. takel, from taken ‘lay hold of’.