tuck
part of speech
verb (tuck, tucks, tucked, tucking); noun (a tuck, tucks — in sewing; tuck — old British word for snacks)
meaning for a pupil
1) To push the loose edge of something into a place so it is neat and stays there, like a shirt into trousers. tree →
2) To put someone, usually a child, into bed and pull the covers snugly around them (tuck in). tree →
3) To put something into a small, safe or hidden place. tree →
4) To pull a part of your body in close, like tucking your knees up to your chest. tree →
5) Tuck in: to start eating food eagerly. tree →
6) A tuck is a fold sewn into cloth; in old British school stories «tuck» means sweets and snacks. tree →
7) In old country speech, tuck can also mean to take, to look after, or to fall ill. tree →
sense in the lessons
In everyday life it is about neatness and comfort: tuck in your shirt, tuck the blanket, tuck a note in a pocket. In PE and swimming, a «tuck» is a body position with knees pulled to the chest (tuck jump, tuck dive). In safety: tuck in loose clothes and laces near machines and bike chains. Phrases: tuck in, tuck up (in bed), tuck away, tucked away (hidden, out of the way), tuck shop (UK/Australia school snack shop).
examples
- Tuck your shirt into your trousers before the photo. tree →
- Mum tucked me in and turned off the light. tree →
- She tucked the letter into her coat pocket. tree →
- The cottage was tucked away behind the hills. tree →
- Do a tuck jump: bring your knees up to your chest. tree →
- Tuck your laces in so they don't catch in the bike chain. tree →
- Dinner's ready — tuck in! tree →
- The cat tucked its paws under its body to keep warm. tree →
- We bought crisps at the school tuck shop. tree →
- Is you drowndid w'en yo' ma tucks you in de bed?" tree →
note
Regular verb: tuck, tucked, tucking. «Tuck in» has two meanings: putting someone to bed, and starting to eat — the sentence shows which. «Tuck shop» is used in the UK, Australia and New Zealand, not usually in the USA. Do not confuse with «truck» (a big lorry) or «duck».
In the corpora
- Tucking your chin to your chest helps keep your head from hitting the ground.
- A tail tucked between the back legs usually means the dog is frightened.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «tuck» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.