Tackle  —n. 1 equipment for a task or sport. 2 mechanism, esp. Of ropes, pulley-blocks, hooks, etc., for lifting weights, managing sails, etc. 3 windlass with its ropes and hooks. 4 act of tackling in football etc. —v. (-ling) 1 try to deal with (a problem or difficulty). 2 grapple with (an opponent). 3 confront (a person) in discussion or argument. 4 intercept or stop (a player running with the ball).  tackler n. [low german]