Tack, Track, Tacky

“No matter what you do, do it your utmost. I always attribute my success to always requiring myself to do my level best, if only in driving a tack in straight.” –Russel H. Conwell

Tack functions as a noun and verb. Tack (noun) is a nail, a small nail with a broad head, pin, staple, rivet, and stud.

Tacks are used to hold things together.

Tack is a long, loose stich in a garment, a long stich to hold different fabrics together temporarily; before two fabrics are sewed together they are held temporarily with tacks.

Tack is a riding equipment like bridles and saddles.

Referring to the direction of a boat, tack means the direction or distance a boats moves at an angle to the direction of the wind.

Tack (verb) means fasten, secure something, tie, link up, attach, affix, secure; tack something on (phrasal verb).

Tacking functions as a noun, too.

Some people have the habit of tacking paper cuttings or receipts to the notice board at the desks, or to the walls.

When you tack clothes it means you are binding them together, bind, hem, baste, or stitch.

Dressmakers tack the garment before it is finally stitched to the satisfaction of the customer.

Tacky is an adjective.

When something is tacky, it means cheap in quality, bad in style, inelegant.

A tacky old shop but selling vintage goods.

Tacky also means sticky such as glue or paint.

Tackiness is a noun.

“Little boxes made of ticky-tacky, and they all look just the same.” –Pete Seeger

Track (noun) has many meanings and forms compound words (track and field, track cycling or track cyclist, track down, track pants, track record, track stand, track start, track meet)
Track is a pathway (beaten track or paved footpath or roadway).

Track is a road, course for travelling (on foot or motor); a route to travel or move.

Track is a pair of parallel rails for trains or rails to move, a runway for wheels.

The Indian rail-track has metre gauge and narrow gauge.

Track is the course where runners and sprinters run such as in competitions like Olympics, Commonwealth or Asian games like on the track and field; a place where horseracing takes place (racetrack or racecourse).

Track is a selection of music from a recording (can you play the best track of Adele?), a particular song from an album, CD or iPod.

Watch out: in tacky old shops you often find things that are not available elsewhere such as old tracks (music) and books on races and racetracks.

By: Kovuuri G Reddy