The opposite to
_wearing_.

TACK AND HALF-TACK. Working to windward, or along shore, by long and
short boards, or legs, alternately.

TACKLE. A purchase formed by the connection of a fall, or rope, with two
or more blocks. When a power sustains a weight by a rope over a fixed
sheave, the weight and power will be equal; but if one end of the rope
be fixed, and the sheave be movable with the weight, then the power will
be but half the weight; but in a combination of sheaves, or pulleys, the
power will be to the weight as 1 to the numbers of parts of the
fall.--_Ground-tackle._ Anchors, cables, &c.--_Tack-tackle._ A small
tackle used to pull down the tacks of the principal sails to their
respective stations, and particularly attached to the main-sails of
brigs, sloops, cutters, and schooners.

TACKLE-FALL. The part hauled upon in any tackle, simple or compound.

TACK OR SHEET. A man's saying that he will not start tack or sheet
implies resolution.

TACK-PINS. The belaying pins of the fife-rail; called also Jack-pins.

TACTICS. The art of disposing and applying naval or military forces in
action with the enemy, in whose presence strategy gives place to
tactics.

TAFFIA. A bad spirit, made and sold at Mauritius.

TAFFRAIL, OR TAFFAREL. The upper part of a ship's stern, a curved
railing, the ends of which unite to the quarter-pieces.

TAIL. A rope spliced into the strop or round of any block, leaving a
long end for making fast to rigging, spars, &c.--_To tail on to a bank._
To be aground abaft only.--_To tail up_ or _down a stream_. When at
anchor in a river, is as a ship's stern swings.

TAIL-BLOCK. A rope-stropped block, having an end of rope attached to it
as a tail, by which it may be fastened to any object at pleasure.

TAIL OF A GALE. The latter part of a gale, when its violence is dying
out.

TAIL ON, OR TALLY ON. The order to clap on to a rope.

TAIL-RACE. The water which leaves the paddles of a steam-boat. Also, the
water-course of a mill beyond the water-wheel.

TAIL-TACKLE. A luff-tackle purchase, with a hook in the end of the
single block, and a tail to the upper end of the double block.
Synonymous with _watch-tackle_.

TAIL UP. When a whale dives perpendicularly. In this case whalers expect
the fish to rise near the same spot. Also termed _fluking_.

TAIL-VALVE. A valve in the air-pump at the opposite side from the
condenser, and connected with the latter by a pipe under the air-pump:
it ope