Definition

1. Noun:

   • A short pin with a broad, flat head, used especially for fastening papers to a bulletin board, wall, or other surface.

2. Verb:

   • To attach or fasten something, especially paper, to a surface using a thumbtack.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • She used a red thumbtack to pin the announcement to the corkboard.
  • The map was held in place with four thumbtacks at the corners.

• Verb:

  • He thumbtacked the poster to his bedroom wall.
  • Please thumbtack this memo on the staff notice board.

Advanced Usage

• "to put a thumbtack in something": To decisively secure or finalize a plan or idea, often used metaphorically.
  • After the long debate, the manager finally put a thumbtack in the new policy.

Variants and Related Words

• Pushpin (n): A synonym for thumbtack, often used interchangeably.

  • A box of colorful pushpins is on the desk.

• Drawing pin (n): The British English term for a thumbtack.

  • In the UK, you would ask for a drawing pin to put up that flyer.

Synonyms

• Noun: Tack, pushpin, drawing pin.
• Verb: Pin, tack, fasten, attach.

Related Phrasal Verbs / Constructions

• "to tack up": To fasten something, especially paper, to a vertical surface using tacks or pins.
  • She tacked up the children's artwork all along the hallway.

Related Idioms

• "All thumbs": To be clumsy. (While not containing the word "thumbtack," it shares the root "thumb," highlighting manual dexterity which is relevant when using a small object like a thumbtack.)
  • I'm all thumbs today; I keep dropping the thumbtacks.

Noun

1. a tack for attaching papers to a bulletin board or drawing board

Verb

1. fasten with thumbtacks
   • The teacher thumbtacked the notice on the bulletin board