Related Searches
Nearby Words

thumbtack

 [thuhm-tak]   Origin

thumb·tack

   [thuhm-tak]
noun
1.
a tack with a large, flat head, designed to be thrust into a board or other fairly soft object or surface by the pressure of the thumb.
Thumbtack.com www.ask.com/Thumbtack.com Search Thumbtack.com Q&A for Thumbtack.com
Ad
verb (used with object)
2.
to attach or tack by means of a thumbtack.

00:10

00:09

00:08

00:07

00:06

00:05

00:04

00:03

00:02

00:01

Thumbtack is one of our favorite verbs.
So is peculate. Does it mean:
to spend time idly; loaf.
to steal or take dishonestly (money, esp. public funds, or property entrusted to one's care); embezzle.
LEARN MORE FUN, UNUSUAL VERBS WITH WORD DYNAMO...
Origin:
1880–85, Americanism; thumb + tack1
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To thumbtack
Collins
World English Dictionary
thumbtack (ˈθʌmˌtæk)
 
—n
chiefly (US), (Canadian) Also called (esp in Britain): drawing pin a short tack with a broad smooth head for fastening papers to a drawing board, etc

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

thumbtack
tack with a broad, flat head which may be driven by pressure from the thumb, 1884, from thumb + tack.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Partners:WordBloglinesCitysearchThe Daily BeastAsk AnswersAsk KidsLife123SendoriThesaurus
Dictionary.com, LLC. Copyright © 2012. All rights reserved.
About Privacy Policy Terms of Use API Careers Advertise with Us Contact Us Help
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT