To TACK

To TACK, to change the course from one board to another, or turn the ship about from the starboard to the larboard tack, in a contrary wind. Thus a ship being close-hauled on the larboard tack, and turning her prow suddenly to windward, receives the impression of the wind on her head sails, by which she falls off upon the line of the starboard tack. Tacking is also used in a more enlarged sense, to imply that manœuvre in navigation by which a ship makes an oblique progression to the windward, in a zigzag direction. This, however, is more usually called beating, or turning to windward.