Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A tack with a smooth, rounded head that can be pressed into place with the thumb.
  • transitive verb To affix with a thumbtack.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A small nail-like tack with a slightly rounded head that can be pressed into place with light pressure from the thumb; used for hanging light articles on a wall or noticeboard
  • verb transitive To fix or attach something with a thumbtack.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb fasten with thumbtacks
  • noun a tack for attaching papers to a bulletin board or drawing board

Etymologies

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Examples

  • On a thumbtack was a church calendar with a huge picture of Jesus Christ, his hair brown ringlets against a cerulean-blue background, and his eyes heavenward.

    Courting Trouble Scottoline, Lisa 1993

  • But there are also more appealing options, such as thumbtack monograms or a dried-bean mosaic of James Brown.

    Kooky DIY With Amy Sedaris 2010

  • "thumbtack" icon shows the last spot they registered online before disappearing a few days ago while traveling waters off the coast of East Africa.

    Boing Boing 2009

  • 'Every day a different two or three films; sometimes one single long movie, sometimes trilogies, but a calendar's worth - the kind you thumbtack to your wall - of old movies.

    Michael Vazquez: ON THE 48TH ANNUAL NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL Michael Vazquez 2010

  • 'Every day a different two or three films; sometimes one single long movie, sometimes trilogies, but a calendar's worth - the kind you thumbtack to your wall - of old movies.

    Michael Vazquez: ON THE 48TH ANNUAL NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL Michael Vazquez 2010

  • If you're less hook-enthused and have soft walls, you can simply stick a thumbtack in the wall and use this as your cord holder.

    Hack College: How To Wrangle Your Dorm Room Cords Hack College 2010

  • 'Every day a different two or three films; sometimes one single long movie, sometimes trilogies, but a calendar's worth - the kind you thumbtack to your wall - of old movies.

    Michael Vazquez: ON THE 48TH ANNUAL NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL Michael Vazquez 2010

  • 'Every day a different two or three films; sometimes one single long movie, sometimes trilogies, but a calendar's worth - the kind you thumbtack to your wall - of old movies.

    Michael Vazquez: ON THE 48TH ANNUAL NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL Michael Vazquez 2010

  • But I noticed a little thumbtack hole on the top, so I assume it was pinned somewhere in the hut where Hill was found.

    A Stitch Before Dying Anne Canadeo 2011

  • She noticed a tiny hole near the top, the perforation a pushpin or thumbtack would make?

    A Stitch Before Dying Anne Canadeo 2011

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