tacked

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

Tied down. When a man has another vanquished, or for certain reasons bound to his service, he is said to have "got him TACKED."

Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)

Where it’s used: Origin British & Irish English
Sources & notes

Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.

Common questions

What does “tacked” mean?

Tied down. When a man has another vanquished, or for certain reasons bound to his service, he is said to have "got him TACKED."

Is “tacked” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.