Tact vs. Tack — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Tact and Tack
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Compare with Definitions
Tact
Acute sensitivity to what is proper and appropriate in dealing with others, including the ability to speak or act without offending.
Tack
A short, light nail with a sharp point and a flat head.
Tact
The sense of touch; feeling.
Tack
A rope for holding down the weather clew of a course.
Tact
(music) The stroke in beating time.
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Tack
A rope for hauling the outer lower corner of a studdingsail to the boom.
Tact
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.
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.
Tack
The part of a sail, such as the weather clew of a course, to which this rope is fastened.
Tact
(slang) tactic
Tack
The lower forward corner of a fore-and-aft sail.
Tact
(psychology) 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).
Tack
The position of a vessel relative to the trim of its sails.
Tact
Propriety; manners (etiquette).
Tack
The act of changing from one position or direction to another.
Tact
(psychology) To use a tact (a kind of verbal operant; see noun sense).
Tack
The distance or leg sailed between changes of position or direction.
Tact
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.
Tack
An approach to accomplishing a goal or a method of dealing with a problem.
Tact
The stroke in beating time.
Tack
A large, loose stitch made as a temporary binding or as a marker.
Tact
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.
A tact which surpassed the tact of her sex as much as the tact of her sex surpassed the tact of ours.
Tack
Stickiness, as that of a newly painted surface.
Tact
Consideration in dealing with others and avoiding giving offence
Tack
Food, especially coarse or inferior foodstuffs.
Tack
The harness for a horse, including the bridle and saddle.
Tack
To fasten or attach with a tack or tacks
Tacked the carpet down.
Tack
To fasten or mark (cloth or a seam, for example) with a loose basting stitch.
Tack
To put together loosely and arbitrarily
Tacked some stories together in an attempt to write a novel.
Tack
To add as an extra item; append
Tacked two dollars onto the bill.
Tack
(Nautical) To bring (a vessel) into the wind in order to change course or direction.
Tack
To change the direction of a sailing vessel, especially by turning the bow into and past the direction of the wind
Stand by to tack.
Tack
To sail a zigzag course upwind by repeatedly executing such a maneuver.
Tack
To change tack
The ship tacked to starboard.
Tack
To change one's course of action.
Tack
A small nail with a flat head.
Tack
A thumbtack.
Tack
(sewing) A loose seam used to temporarily fasten pieces of cloth.
Tack
(nautical) The lower corner on the leading edge of a sail relative to the direction of the wind.
Tack
(nautical) A course or heading that enables a sailing vessel to head upwind.
Tack
(figurative) A direction or course of action, especially a new one.
Tack
(nautical) The maneuver by which a sailing vessel turns its bow through the wind so that the wind changes from one side to the other.
Tack
(nautical) The distance a sailing vessel runs between these maneuvers when working to windward; a board.
Tack
(nautical) A rope used to hold in place the foremost lower corners of the courses when the vessel is close-hauled; also, a rope employed to pull the lower corner of a studding sail to the boom.
Tack
Any of the various equipment and accessories worn by horses in the course of their use as domesticated animals.
Tack
The stickiness of a compound, related to its cohesive and adhesive properties.
The laminate adhesive has very aggressive tack and is hard to move once in place.
Tack
Food generally; fare, especially of the bread kind.
Soft tack
Tack
That which is attached; a supplement; an appendix.
Tack
(obsolete) Confidence; reliance.
Tack
A stain; a tache.
Tack
(obsolete) A peculiar flavour or taint.
A musty tack
Tack
(colloquial) That which is tacky; something cheap and gaudy.
Tack
A contract by which the use of a thing is set, or let, for hire; a lease.
Tack
To nail with a tack small nail with a flat head.
Tack
To sew/stitch with a tack loose seam used to temporarily fasten pieces of cloth.
Tack
(nautical) To maneuver a sailing vessel so that its bow turns through the wind, i.e. the wind changes from one side of the vessel to the other.
Tack
To add something as an extra item.
To tack (something) onto (something)
Tack
To place the tack on a horse; often paired with "up".
Tack
A stain; a tache.
Tack
A peculiar flavor or taint; as, a musty tack.
Tack
A small, short, sharp-pointed nail, usually having a broad, flat head.
Tack
A rope used to hold in place the foremost lower corners of the courses when the vessel is closehauled (see Illust. of Ship); also, a rope employed to pull the lower corner of a studding sail to the boom.
Tack
A contract by which the use of a thing is set, or let, for hire; a lease.
Tack
Confidence; reliance.
Tack
To fasten or attach.
And tacks the center to the sphere.
Tack
Especially, to attach or secure in a slight or hasty manner, as by stitching or nailing; as, to tack together the sheets of a book; to tack one piece of cloth to another; to tack on a board or shingle; to tack one piece of metal to another by drops of solder.
Tack
In parliamentary usage, to add (a supplement) to a bill; to append; - often with on or to; as, to tack on a non-germane appropriation to a bill.
Tack
To change the direction of (a vessel) when sailing closehauled, by putting the helm alee and shifting the tacks and sails so that she will proceed to windward nearly at right angles to her former course.
Tack
The heading or position of a vessel relative to the trim of its sails
Tack
A short nail with a sharp point and a large head
Tack
Gear for a horse
Tack
(nautical) a line (rope or chain) that regulates the angle at which a sail is set in relation to the wind
Tack
(nautical) the act of changing tack
Tack
Sailing a zigzag course
Tack
Fasten with tacks;
Tack the notice on the board
Tack
Turn into the wind;
The sailors decided to tack the boat
The boat tacked
Tack
Make by putting pieces together;
She pieced a quilt
He tacked together some verses
Tack
Sew together loosely, with large stitches;
Baste a hem
Tack
Fix to; attach;
Append a charm to the necklace
Tack
Reverse (a direction, attitude, or course of action)
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