tackle

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

• noun The equipment used in a particular activity, especially in fishing; gear.
• noun Nautical A system of ropes and blocks for raising and lowering weights of rigging and pulleys for applying tension.
• noun A rope and its pulley.
• noun The act of stopping an opposing player carrying the ball, especially by forcing the opponent to the ground, as in football or Rugby.
• noun The act of obstructing a player in order to cause loss of possession of the ball, as in soccer.
• noun One of two offensive linemen positioned between the guard and the end on either side of the ball.
• noun One of two defensive linemen positioned to the inside of either end.
• noun Tackle football.
• intransitive verb To grab hold of and wrestle with (an opponent).
• intransitive verb To stop (an opponent carrying the ball), especially by forcing the opponent to the ground.
• intransitive verb To obstruct (a player with the ball) in order to cause loss of possession of the ball.
• intransitive verb To engage or deal with.
• intransitive verb To harness (a horse).
• intransitive verb To tackle an opponent in possession of the ball.

from The Century Dictionary.

• noun A watch-tackle purchase used for stretching the backbone of an awning.
• noun A device or appliance for grasping or clutching an object, connected with means for holding, moving, or manipulating it.
• noun Hence A mechanism, or apparatus in general, for applying the power of purchase in manipulating, shifting, raising, or lowering objects or materials; a rope and pulley-block, or a combination of ropes and blocks working together, or any similar contrivance for aid in lifting or controlling anything: used either definitely or indefinitely.
• noun The windlass and its appurtenances, as used for hoisting ore from small depths; also, in general, the cages or kibbles, with their chains and hooks, for raising ore or coal.
• noun Equipment or gear in general; a combination of appliances: used of arms and armor, harness, anglers' outfit (see fishing-tackle), many mechanical devices, etc.
• noun The act of tackling; a seizing or grasping; grasp or hold, as of an opponent in foot-ball.
• noun Either one of two players in the rush-line in foot-ball, stationed next to the end rushers. See rusher, 2.
• noun Tackles formerly used in heaving down a ship, to keep her from being canted over too much.
• noun See rolling-tackle.
• To attach by tackle or tackling; make fast to something.
• Specifically To hitch; harness.
• To ensnare, as with cords or tackle; entangle.
• To close or shut with or as if with a fastening; lock; seclude.
• To furnish with tackle; equip with appliances, as a ship.
• To attack or fasten upon, in the widest sense; set to work upon in any way; undertake to master, persuade, solve, perform, and so forth: as, to tackle a bully; to tackle a problem.
• In foot-ball, to seize and stop, as a player while running with the ball: as, he was tackled when within a few feet of the goal.
• To make an attack or seizure; specifically, to get a grasp or hold, as upon an opponent in foot-ball, to prevent him from running with the ball.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

• noun Apparatus for raising or lowering heavy weights, consisting of a rope and pulley blocks; sometimes, the rope and attachments, as distinct from the block, in which case the full appratus is referred to as a block and tackle.
• noun Any instruments of action; an apparatus by which an object is moved or operated; gear; ; formerly, specifically, weapons.
• noun (Naut.) The rigging and apparatus of a ship; also, any purchase where more than one block is used.
• noun See the Note under Pulley.
• noun See under Fishing, a.
• noun (Naut.) anchors, cables, etc.
• noun the apparatus or appliances for hauling cannon in or out.
• noun the rope, or rather the end of the rope, of a tackle, to which the power is applied.
• noun (Naut.) a small tackle to pull down the tacks of the principal sails.
• noun (Ropemaking) a board, frame, or post, at the end of a ropewalk, for supporting the spindels, or whirls, for twisting the yarns.
• transitive verb To supply with tackle.
• transitive verb colloq. To fasten or attach, as with a tackle; to harness.
• transitive verb To seize; to lay hold of; to grapple
• transitive verb (Football) To cause the ball carrier to fall to the ground, thus ending the forward motion of the ball and the play.