Word.ws English Dictionary

block and tackle

block and tackle noun: a system in which a rope, cable, or chain (the tackle) is passed over pulleys enclosed in two (or rarely more) blocks, one fixed and one attached to a load, which is used to gain mechanical advantage to lift or pull heavy loads.

block and tackle: a system in which a rope, cable, or chain (the tackle) is passed over pulleys enclosed in two (or...
Image: Pearson Scott Foresman, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Noun

block and tackle (plural block and tackles or blocks and tackles)

  1. A system in which a rope, cable, or chain (the tackle) is passed over pulleys enclosed in two (or rarely more) blocks, one fixed and one attached to a load, which is used to gain mechanical advantage to lift or pull heavy loads.
    Synonyms:
    polyspast, muffle, hoisting-tackle
  2. (euphemistic) The underwear combination of stockings worn with a suspender belt.

block and tackle meaning in Tamil, Arabic and Vietnamese

block and tackle in Tamil

கப்பிதாங்கியும் கயிறும், கப்பியும் சாம்பியும்

block and tackle in Arabic

system of several pulleys
مُحْل muḥl, مَحَالَة maḥāla

block and tackle in Vietnamese

system of several pulleys
pa lăng

Synonyms of block and tackle

Forms of block and tackle

pluralblock and tackles
pluralblocks and tackles

Questions about block and tackle

What does block and tackle mean?
Block and tackle means a system in which a rope, cable, or chain (the tackle) is passed over pulleys enclosed in two (or rarely more) blocks, one fixed and one attached to a load, which is used to gain mechanical advantage to lift or pull heavy loads.
What is block and tackle in Tamil?
Block and tackle in Tamil is கப்பிதாங்கியும் கயிறும், கப்பியும் சாம்பியும். See Block and tackle meaning in Tamil.
What part of speech is block and tackle?
Block and tackle is a noun.
What is the plural of block and tackle?
The plural of block and tackle is block and tackles.

Words near block and tackle in the dictionary

  1. Blochers
  2. Blochian
  3. blochiid
  4. blochiids
  5. block
  6. block and tackle
  7. block and tackles
  8. block book
  9. block booking
  10. block bookings
  11. block books

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: block and tackle (page history and authors); block and tackle (Tamil Wiktionary) (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated:

Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-block and tackle.wav.

Cite this entry: “block and tackle.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/block_and_tackle. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.