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Especially, to attach or secure in a slight or hasty manner, as by stitching or nailing; as, to tack together the sheets of a book; to tack one piece of cloth to another; to tack on a board or shingle; to tack one piece of metal to another by drops of solder.

Any slight appendage, as to an article of dress; something slight hanging loosely; specifically, a direction card, or label.

To strike with a slight or gentle blow; to touch gently; to rap lightly; to pat; as, to tap one with the hand or a cane.

A thin film on the surface of a metal, usually due to a slight alteration of the original color; as, the steel tarnish in columbite.

A slight sound such as that made by pressing the tongue against the roof of the mouth and explosively sucking out the air at one side, as in urging on a horse. -- v. i.

A screw link, to which is attached the rope of a rope-drilling apparatus, for feeding and slightly turning the drill jar at each stroke.

Cylindrical and slightly tapering; columnar, as some stems of plants.

An instrument of extreme sensibility, used to determine slight differences and degrees of heat. It is composed of alternate bars of antimony and bismuth, or any two metals having different capacities for the conduction of heat, connected with an astatic galvanometer, which is very sensibly affected by the electric curr…

A picture (as of a slice of wood) obtained by first wetting the object slightly with hydrochloric or dilute sulphuric acid, then taking an impression with a press, and next strongly heating this impression.

Slight; small; slender; flimsy; wanting substance or depth or force; superficial; inadequate; not sufficient for a covering; as, a thin disguise. My tale is done, for my wit is but thin. Chaucer.

A diminutive or slighted object; any object viewed as merely existing; -- often used in pity or contempt. See, sons, what things you are! Shak. The poor thing sighed, and . . . turned from me. Addison. I'll be this abject thing no more. Granville. I have a thing in prose. Swift.

penetrate; especially, to cause a tingling sensation that runs through the system with a slight shivering; as, a sharp sound thrills through the whole frame. I have a faint cold fear thrills through my veins. Shak.

Wavering, or liable to waver and fall at the slightest touch; unstable; easily overthrown. [Obs.] Thy head stands so tickle on thy shoulders, that a milkmaid, if she be in love, may sigh it off. Shak.

Sensible to slight touches; easily tickled; as, the sole of the foot is very ticklish; the hardened palm of the hand is not ticklish. Bacon.

A fit of anger or peevishness; a slight altercation or contention. See Tift. Thackeray.

A lunch, or slight repast between breakfast and dinner; -- originally, a Provincial English word, but introduced into India, and brought back to England in a special sense.

A fit of pettishness, or slight anger; a tiff. After all your fatigue you seem as ready for a tift with me as if you had newly come from church. Blackwood's Mag.

A slight taste superadded to any substance; as, a tincture of orange peel.

ther substance, either by mixture, or by application to the surface; especially, to color slightly; to stain; as, to tinge a blue color with red; an infusion tinged with a yellow color by saffron. His [Sir Roger's] virtues, as well as imperfections, are tinged by a certain extravagance. Addison.

To have, or to cause, a sharp, thrilling sensation, or a slight pricking sensation. They suck pollution through their tingling vein. Tickell.