n. [ LL. pl. apotactitae, Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_; set apart; &unr_; from + &unr_; to arrange, ordain. ] (Eccl. Hist.) One of a sect of ancient Christians, who, in supposed imitation of the first believers, renounced all their possessions. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. abnormal shortness of fingers and toes.
Syn. -- brachydactylia. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ L. contactus, fr. contingere, -tactum, to touch on all sides. See Contingent. ] 1. A close union or junction of bodies; a touching or meeting. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Geom.) The property of two curves, or surfaces, which meet, and at the point of meeting have a common direction. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Mining) The plane between two adjacent bodies of dissimilar rock. Raymond. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Electricity) A metallic conducting component of an electrical device connected to a circuit within and so situated that it may form a conducting pathway to an external power source or device when contacted by another conductor; as, the contact on a standard light bulb has the shape of a screw for easy insertion into the socket. [ PJC ]

5. A person who serves to commmunicate information to or from one group to another, whether formally or informally; as, a good Washington reporter has contacts in the White House. [ PJC ]

Contact level, a delicate level so pivoted as to tilt when two parts of a measuring apparatus come into contact with each other; -- used in precise determinations of lengths and in the accurate graduation of instruments. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. the act of touching physically.
Syn. -- contact. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. Act of touching. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Biol.) Relating to, or characterized by, heterotaxy. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. intactus; pref. in- not + tactus, p. p. of tangere to touch: cf. F. intact. See In- not, and Tact, Tangent. ] Untouched, especially by anything that harms, defiles, or the like; uninjured; undefiled; left complete or entire. Buckle. [ 1913 Webster ]

When all external differences have passed away, one element remains intact, unchanged, -- the everlasting basis of our common nature, the human soul. F. W. Robertson.

{ , a. Not perceptible to the touch. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ from the jackboots worn as part of the uniform of police in certain totalitarian countries. ] Harsh strongarm tactics; repressive, bullying and militaristic tactics like those used in authoritarian or totalitarian countries; -- used opprobriously, and often in hyperbolic exaggeration of police tactics in democratic countries. [ PJC ]

v. t. To do or beyond; to exceed in acting. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

He has made me heir to treasures
Would make me outact a real window's whining. Otway. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Gram.) Of pertaining to, or characterized by, parataxis. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Bot.) Of or pertaining to phyllotaxy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An act done afterward. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. protaktiko`s placing or placed before, fr. prota`ssein to place in front; pro` before + ta`ssein to arrange. ] Giving a previous narrative or explanation, as of the plot or personages of a play; introductory. [ 1913 Webster ]

. The radioactive chemical element, of atomic number 91; Atomic symbol Pa; at. wt. of longest-lived isotope, 231 (T1/2 = 32, 500 yrs.) Also called brevium, Uranium X2 and UX2. [ PJC ]

n. [ L., fr. Gr. stakth`, strictly fem. of stakto`s oozing out in drops, fr. sta`zein to drop. ] One of the sweet spices used by the ancient Jews in the preparation of incense. It was perhaps an oil or other form of myrrh or cinnamon, or a kind of storax. Ex. xxx. 34. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ Cf. G. &unr_; putting together. See Syntax. ] Of or pertaining to syntax; according to the rules of syntax, or construction. -- Syn*tac"tic*al*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n. [ L. tactus a touching, touch, fr. tangere, tactum, to touch: cf. F. tact. See Tangent. ] 1. The sense of touch; feeling. [ 1913 Webster ]

Did you suppose that I could not make myself sensible to tact as well as sight? Southey. [ 1913 Webster ]

Now, sight is a very refined tact. J. Le Conte. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Mus.) The stroke in beating time. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Sensitive mental touch; peculiar skill or faculty; nice perception or discernment; ready power of appreciating and doing what is required by circumstances. [ 1913 Webster ]

He had formed plans not inferior in grandeur and boldness to those of Richelieu, and had carried them into effect with a tact and wariness worthy of Mazarin. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

A tact which surpassed the tact of her sex as much as the tact of her sex surpassed the tact of ours. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being touched; tangible. [ R. ] “They [ women ] being created to be both tractable and tactable.” Massinger. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Full of tact; characterized by a discerning sense of what is right, proper, or judicious. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. See Tactics. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ Gr. taktiko`s. See tactics. ] Of or pertaining to military or naval tactics; hence, pertaining to, or characterized by, planning or maneuvering for the short term; -- contrasted with strategic, planning for the long term.
-- Tac"tic*al*ly, adv. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

n. [ Cf. F. tacticien. ] One versed in tactics; hence, a skillful maneuverer; an adroit manager. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. taktika` pl., and taktikh` (sc. te`chnh, sing., fr. taktiko`s fit for ordering or arranging, fr. ta`ssein, ta`ttein, to put in order, to arrange: cf. F. tactique. ] 1. The science and art of disposing military and naval forces in order for battle, and performing military and naval evolutions. It is divided into grand tactics, or the tactics of battles, and elementary tactics, or the tactics of instruction. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence, any system or method of procedure. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. tactilis, fr. tangere, tactum, to touch: cf. F. tactile. ] Of or pertaining to the organs, or the sense, of touch; perceiving, or perceptible, by the touch; capable of being touched; as, tactile corpuscles; tactile sensations. “Tactile sweets.” Beaumont. “Tactile qualities.” Sir M. Hale. [ 1913 Webster ]

Tactile sense (Physiol.), the sense of touch, or pressure sense. See Touch. [ 1913 Webster ]

The delicacy of the tactile sense varies on different parts of the skin; it is geatest on the forehead, temples and back of the forearm. H. N. Martin. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. tactilité. ] The quality or state of being tactile; perceptibility by touch; tangibleness. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. tactio, from tangere, tactum, to touch. ] The act of touching; touch; contact; tangency. “External taction.” Chesterfield. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Destitute of tact. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ See Tact. ] (Physiol.) Of or pertaining to the sense, or the organs, of touch; derived from touch. [ 1913 Webster ]

In the lowest organisms we have a kind of tactual sense diffused over the entire body. Tyndall. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Physiol.) Of or retaining to thermotaxis. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. (Physiol.) Of or pertaining to thigmotaxis. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]