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Webster 1913 Edition


Tact

Tact

,
Noun.
[L.
tactus
a touching, touch, fr.
tangere
,
tactum
, to touch: cf. F.
tact
. See
Tangent
.]
1.
The sense of touch; feeling.
Did you suppose that I could not make myself sensible to
tact
as well as sight?
Southey.
Now, sight is a very refined
tact
.
J. Le Conte.
2.
(Mus.)
The stroke in beating time.
3.
Sensitive mental touch; peculiar skill or faculty; nice perception or discernment; ready power of appreciating and doing what is required by circumstances.
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.
A
tact
which surpassed the
tact
of her sex as much as the
tact
of her sex surpassed the
tact
of ours.
Macaulay.

Webster 1828 Edition


Tact

TACT

,
Noun.
[L. tactus, from tango, [for tago,] to touch.]
1.
Touch; feeling; formerly, the stroke in beating time in music.
2.
Peculiar skill or faculty; nice perception or discernment.