# tuck

> English word · Verb · IPA /tʌk/ · frequency rank #14,039

## Definitions
1. To pull or gather up (an item of fabric).
2. To push into a snug position; to place somewhere safe, or handy, or somewhat hidden.
3. To eat; to consume.
4. To fit neatly.
5. To curl into a ball; to fold up and hold one's legs.
6. To sew folds; to make a tuck or tucks in.
7. To full, as cloth.
8. Of a drag queen, trans woman, etc., to conceal one's penis and testicles, as with a gaff or by fastening them down with adhesive tape.
9. To keep the thumb in position while moving the rest of the hand over it to continue playing piano keys that are outside the thumb (when playing scales).
10. Ellipsis of Mach tuck.

## Etymology
From Middle English tuken, touken (“to torment, to stretch (cloth)”), from Old English tūcian (“to torment, vex”) and Middle Dutch tucken (“to tuck”), both from Proto-Germanic *teuh-, *teug- (“to draw, pull”) (compare also *tukkōną), from Proto-Indo-European *dewk- (“to pull”). Akin to Old High German zucchen (“to snatch, tug”), zuchôn (“to jerk”), German Low German tuken (“to tug, pluck, grab and pull towards”), Old English tēon (“to draw, pull, train”). Doublet of touch.

## Easily confused with
- **tug** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tuck-vs-tug)
- **Tue** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tuck-vs-tue)
- **tum** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tuck-vs-tum)
- **tun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tuck-vs-tun)
- **tut** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tuck-vs-tut)
- **tux** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tuck-vs-tux)
- **tui** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tuck-vs-tui)
- **tur** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tuck-vs-tur)
- **turn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tuck-vs-turn)
- **tune** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tuck-vs-tune)
- **turf** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tuck-vs-turf)
- **tuna** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tuck-vs-tuna)
- **Turk** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tuck-vs-turk)
- **turd** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tuck-vs-turd)
- **tung** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tuck-vs-tung)
- **tutu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tuck-vs-tutu)
- **tuff** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tuck-vs-tuff)
- **tusk** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tuck-vs-tusk)
- **tugs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tuck-vs-tugs)
- **tuft** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tuck-vs-tuft)

## Common misspellings (6)
`tcuk`, `ttuck`, `tucck`, `tuckk`, `tukc`, `utck`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/tuck