tuck

1 of 5

verb

tucked; tucking; tucks

transitive verb

1
a
: to push in the loose end of so as to hold tightly
tuck in your shirt
b
: to cover by tucking in bedclothes
usually used with in
2
: to put into a snug often concealing or isolating place
a cottage tucked away in the hill
3
: eat
usually used with away or in
tucked away a big lunch
4
a
: to pull up into a fold
b
: to make a tuck in
5
: to put into a tuck position

intransitive verb

1
: to draw together into tucks or folds
2
: to eat or drink heartily
usually used with into
tucked into their beer and pretzels
3
: to fit snugly

tuck

2 of 5

noun (1)

1
: a fold stitched into cloth to shorten, decorate, or control fullness
2
: a cosmetic surgical operation for the removal of excess skin or fat from a body part
a tummy tuck
3
a
: a body position (as in diving) in which the knees are bent, the thighs drawn tightly to the chest, and the hands clasped around the shins
b
: a skiing position in which the skier squats forward and holds the ski poles under the arms and parallel to the ground
4
: the part of a vessel where the ends of the lower planks meet under the stern
5
a
: an act or instance of tucking
b
: something tucked or to be tucked in

tuck

3 of 5

noun (2)

: a sound of or as if of a drumbeat

tuck

4 of 5

noun (3)

: vigor, energy
seemed to kind of take the tuck all out of meMark Twain

tuck

5 of 5

noun (4)

archaic
: rapier

Examples of tuck in a Sentence

Verb She hadn't sealed the envelope, but had simply tucked in the flap. Instead of tying his shoes, he just tucked the laces inside. The sheets were tucked tightly under the mattress. A bag was tucked under her arm. She tucked her hair up under her hat. The dog tucked its tail between its legs and slinked away. The bird slept with its head tucked under its wing.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
It’s tucked away in Jourdain, a part of the 19th arrondissement that few tourists will make the trek for, so the crowd skews local and gourmand. Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 22 Mar. 2024 Fold the sheets, then tuck them inside a pillowcase to create a more uniform look. Dominique Fluker, Essence, 21 Mar. 2024 The sleek dining room that hosts the dinner on Jubilee was tucked deep inside the galley space, giving passengers up-close views of the kitchen. Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2024 Parents will also appreciate that the truck operates on a rechargeable battery, with a USB cord tucked into a compartment. Alesandra Dubin, Parents, 18 Mar. 2024 This scrumptious dessert features layers of fluffy vanilla pudding and softened graham crackers tucked under a canopy of fudgy chocolate ganache. Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 14 Mar. 2024 It is tucked among other grand cottages and mansions and consists of four buildings including Bill's Grill restaurant. Detroit Free Press, 13 Mar. 2024 Alexis Mac Allister stepped up and tucked home the penalty kick to give his side a deserved equalizer. Thomas Schlachter, CNN, 10 Mar. 2024 There were photos stashed everywhere, many tucked into the stacks of Yellow Pages phone books in Wally’s bedroom closet, warped and stained from water damage. Erik Himmelsbach-Weinstein, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024
Noun
TikTok phenom Sophie Liard has amassed over 4 million followers with her clever folds and tucks and even lent her expertise in her 2022 book The Folding Lady: Tools and Tricks for Making the Most of Your Space Room by Room. Hannah Chubb, Peoplemag, 28 Feb. 2024 Worn together, it can be dressed up with a French tuck or by layering it under a chic blazer or lightweight trench coat. Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 23 Oct. 2023 And their work suggests that the sun is already gearing up for its final tuck. Zack Savitsky, Scientific American, 3 Jan. 2024 The rug comes with a cushioned, non-slip pad that connects together like a puzzle and tucks into the rug’s corner pockets. Moriah Mason, Southern Living, 28 Jan. 2024 Scorsese tosses the jacket of his three-piece suit and tucks into a loveseat. Matt Donnelly, Variety, 26 Jan. 2024 Bob Basu was surprised when demand for facelifts, tummy tucks and liposuction surged early in the pandemic. Abha Bhattarai, Washington Post, 15 Aug. 2023 These include dental work, weight loss surgery, breast reductions and augmentations, rhinoplasty, tummy tucks, and many more. Jon Stojan, USA TODAY, 10 Aug. 2023 Patients with a significant amount of excess skin in addition to the diastasis may need a full tummy tuck, in which the muscle is tightened, extra skin is removed, and the belly button is relocated to a new position within the abdominal skin. Alesandra Dubin, Parents, 6 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tuck.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English tuken to mistreat, finish (cloth) by stretching and beating, tuck, from Old English tūcian to mistreat; akin to Old High German zuhhen to jerk, Old English togian to pull — more at tow

Noun (2)

Middle English (Scots) tuicke beat, stroke

Noun (3)

probably from tuck entry 2

Noun (4)

Middle French estoc, from Old French, sword point, from estochier to strike with the sword tip, thrust, of Germanic origin; akin to Middle Dutch stoken to thrust, poke — more at stoke

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 4a

Noun (1)

1532, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1878, in the meaning defined above

Noun (4)

1508, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tuck was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near tuck

Cite this Entry

“Tuck.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tuck. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

tuck

1 of 2 verb
1
a
: to pull up into a fold
b
: to make a tuck in
2
: to put or fit into a snug or safe place
tucked their money away in the bank
our lunch tucked in a basket
3
a
: to push in the loose end of so as to hold tightly
tuck in your shirt
b
: to cover by tucking in bedclothes
a child tucked in for the night

tuck

2 of 2 noun
1
: a fold stitched into cloth (as in a garment)
2
: an act or instance of tucking

Medical Definition

tuck

noun
: a cosmetic surgical operation for the removal of excess skin or fat from a body part see tummy tuck

More from Merriam-Webster on tuck

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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