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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

change tack en · VERB

Meanings

  1. To change course or heading.
  2. (broadly, figuratively) To take a different approach.
    • Anderson rarely ventured forward in the opening two sets, coming to the net on seven occasions, before changing tack and making 14 approaches in the final set alone. 2018 July 15, Jonathan Jurejko, “Novak Djokovic wins fourth Wimbledon by beating Kevin Anderson”, in BBC Sport:
    • Industry experts are concerned that if the railway doesn't change tack, it would soon find itself out of step with the needs of the nation and in the crosshairs of a Treasury looking to slash spending. 2021 October 20, Ben Jones, “The benefits of (and barriers to) more leisure travel by rail”, in RAIL, number 942, page 32:
    • So MySpace has changed tack. What was seen as a competitor to traditional media platforms is starting to resemble one. 2008 January 21, Brian Stelter, “MySpace changes tack to expand”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
changed tack Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
changed tack Tense=Past lexicographic
changes tack Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
change one's tack alternative lexicographic
changing tack Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic

Deriveds

change of tack

Synonyms

switch tack · switch tack

Translations (7)

fr virer de bord ((nautical) to change course or heading) · fi muuttaa kurssia ((nautical) to change course or heading) · fi muuttaa suunnitelmaa ((figurative) to take a different approach) · fr changer de tactique ((figurative) to take a different approach) · fi vaihtaa suuntaa ((figurative) to take a different approach) · fr changer de stratégie ((figurative) to take a different approach) · fi vaihtaa strategiaa ((figurative) to take a different approach)