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tuck¹

(tŭk)

v. tucked, tuck·ing, tucks

v.tr.

a. To thrust or fold the edge of so as to secure or confine: He tucked his shirt into his pants. I tucked the blanket under the mattress.

b. To wrap or cover snugly, as by tucking a blanket: tucked the baby in bed.

c. To make one or more folds in: tucked the pleats before sewing the hem.

a. To put in an out-of-the-way, snug place: a cabin that was tucked among the pines.

b. To store in a safe spot; save: tuck away a bit of lace; tuck away millions.

a. To draw in; contract: He tucked his chin into his chest.

b. Sports To bring (a body part) into a tuck position.

v.intr.

To make tucks.

1. The act of tucking.

2. A flattened pleat or fold, especially a very narrow one stitched in place.

3. Nautical The part of a ship's hull under the stern where the ends of the bottom planks come together.

4. Sports

a. A body position used in some sports, such as diving, in which the knees are bent and the thighs are drawn close to the chest, with the hands often clasped around the shins.

b. A position in skiing in which the skier squats, often while holding the poles parallel to the ground and under the arms.

5. Informal A cosmetic surgical procedure in which skin or fat is removed, sometimes accompanied by muscle tightening, to create a slimmer or more youthful appearance.

6. Chiefly British Food, especially sweets and pastry.

Phrasal Verbs:

tuck away (or into) Informal

To consume (food) heartily.

tuck in

To make (a child, for example) secure in bed for sleep, especially by tucking bedclothes into the bed.

[Middle English tuken, possibly from Middle Low German or Middle Dutch tocken, tucken.]

(click for a larger image)

tuck¹

Stefanie Boehler of Germany at the 2009 Nordic World Ski Championships

Liberec, Czech Republic

tuck²

(tŭk)

A beat or tap, especially on a drum.

[From Middle English tukken, to beat a drum, from Old North French toquer, to strike, from Vulgar Latin *toccāre.]

tuck³

(tŭk)

n.
Archaic

A slender sword; a rapier.

[Perhaps from French dialectal étoc, from Old French estoc, of Germanic origin.]

tuck⁴

(tŭk)

n.
Archaic

Energy; vigor.

[Origin unknown.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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