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
In the first snap, Lovato wore their hair pushed back and tucked behind their ears, almost like a mullet pixie cut. Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 27 Apr. 2024 Since then, it’s become a beacon of luxury, subtly tucked away in Philly’s tallest building: the Comcast Technology Center. Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 26 Apr. 2024 Reusable silicone bags and beeswax wraps are also great for tucking away baked goods. Lizzy Briskin, Bon Appétit, 26 Apr. 2024 During historic proceedings on Thursday, several justices tucked into extreme examples of what might constitute official conduct under Trump's interpretation: Ordering the assassination of political rivals, military takeovers, bribery? Dan Morrison, USA TODAY, 25 Apr. 2024 Still in the metro area, tucked behind the University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College, is Emerald Park. Jesse Cain, arkansasonline.com, 22 Apr. 2024 But after seeing the backlash brewing, James decided to keep the resignation letter tucked away. Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC News, 18 Apr. 2024 Most of it is hidden away from the eyes of humans, tucked into obscure corners or shielded from human eyes by glamours. Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Apr. 2024 The area is south of Detroit's New Center, tucked between Interstate 75 and Woodward Avenue and just north of I-94. Jennifer Dixon, Detroit Free Press, 16 Apr. 2024
Noun
These include of oral surgery, weight loss programs, rhinoplasty, breast augmentations and reductions, abdominal tucks, and numerous other procedures. Chiara Accardi, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Apr. 2024 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

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 2 May. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!