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 ]