sense of tact

  • 1tact — [17] Tact originally denoted the ‘sense of touch’ (that is what Alexander Ross was referring to when he wrote ‘Of all the creatures, the sense of tact is most exquisite in man’, Arcana microcosmi 1651). But by the end of the 18th century it had… …

    The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins

  • 2tact — [17] Tact originally denoted the ‘sense of touch’ (that is what Alexander Ross was referring to when he wrote ‘Of all the creatures, the sense of tact is most exquisite in man’, Arcana microcosmi 1651). But by the end of the 18th century it had… …

    Word origins

  • 3tact — (n.) 1650s, sense of touch or feeling (with an isolated instance from c.1200), from L. tactus touch, feeling, handling, sense of touch, from root of tangere to touch (see TANGENT (Cf. tangent)). Meaning sense of discernment, diplomacy, etc. first …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 4Tact — Tact, 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… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 5tact — [takt] n. [Fr < L tactus, pp. of tangere, to touch < IE base * tag , to touch, grasp > OE thaccian, to stroke] 1. Archaic the sense of touch 2. delicate perception of the right thing to say or do without offending; skill in dealing with… …

    English World dictionary

  • 6Sense — Sense, n. [L. sensus, from sentire, sensum, to perceive, to feel, from the same root as E. send; cf. OHG. sin sense, mind, sinnan to go, to journey, G. sinnen to meditate, to think: cf. F. sens. For the change of meaning cf. {See}, v. t. See… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 7Sense capsule — Sense Sense, n. [L. sensus, from sentire, sensum, to perceive, to feel, from the same root as E. send; cf. OHG. sin sense, mind, sinnan to go, to journey, G. sinnen to meditate, to think: cf. F. sens. For the change of meaning cf. {See}, v. t.… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 8Sense organ — Sense Sense, n. [L. sensus, from sentire, sensum, to perceive, to feel, from the same root as E. send; cf. OHG. sin sense, mind, sinnan to go, to journey, G. sinnen to meditate, to think: cf. F. sens. For the change of meaning cf. {See}, v. t.… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 9Sense organule — Sense Sense, n. [L. sensus, from sentire, sensum, to perceive, to feel, from the same root as E. send; cf. OHG. sin sense, mind, sinnan to go, to journey, G. sinnen to meditate, to think: cf. F. sens. For the change of meaning cf. {See}, v. t.… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 10tact — [n] finesse, thoughtfulness acumen, acuteness, address, adroitness, amenity, aptness, care, common sense, consideration, control, courtesy, delicacy, delicatesse, diplomacy, discernment, discretion, discrimination, gallantry, good taste, head,… …

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