tact

Study(12)

/tækt/

noun 6verb 1

Collocations

(noun.)

ADJ

considerable, great, the utmost

VERB + TACT

have

call for, need, require

Dealing with your friend's bad haircut requires some tact if you want to stay honest.

display, exercise, show, use

The manager exercised great tact when discussing the team's poor performance.

PREP

with ~

She spoke with tact when telling her friend that the outfit didn't look flattering.

PHRASES

a lack of tact, the soul of tact

She showed a lack of tact when she asked her friend about the divorce during dinner.

tact and diplomacy/sensitivity

Definitions

noun

Sensitive mental touch; special skill or faculty; keen perception or discernment; ready power of appreciating and doing what is required by circumstances; the ability to say the right thing and avoid statements that will give offence or pai

By the use of tact, she was able to calm her jealous husband.

I used tact when I told my fat uncle that his extra weight made him look better.

Propriety; manners (etiquette).

noun

The sense of touch; feeling.

Did you suppose that I could not make myself sensible to tact as well as sight?

Now, sight is a very refined tact.

The stroke in beating time.

A verbal operant which is controlled by a nonverbal stimulus (such as an object, event, or property of an object) and is maintained by nonspecific social reinforcement (praise).

Skinner (1957) saw such tacts as responses that are reinforced socially.

verb

To use a tact (a kind of verbal operant).

Thesaurus

Synonyms

noun — consideration in dealing with others and avoiding giving off

tactfulness

Antonyms

tactlessness

Idioms & Phrases

Example Bank

By the use of tact, she was able to calm her jealous husband.

Wiktionary

I used tact when I told my fat uncle that his extra weight made him look better.

Wiktionary

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.

Wiktionary

Did you suppose that I could not make myself sensible to tact as well as sight?

Wiktionary

Now, sight is a very refined tact.

Wiktionary

Skinner (1957) saw such tacts as responses that are reinforced socially.

Wiktionary

Usage Notes

i Register

In some senses, tact is marked as slang. Watch for register when choosing this word.

Your note

not saved

0 chars