on the tack
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Without alcohol; teetotal.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
For they were always going on the tack; a dozen pairs of sympathetic eyes would follow the consciously heroic youth as he wandered down the veranda with a glass of orange juice in his hand; and they asked anxiously, ‘How goes it, Frankie?’
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “on the tack” mean?
Without alcohol; teetotal.
Is “on the tack” formal or informal?
on the tack is generally slang.