[ad. 17th c. L. tactic-a, a. Gr. τακτική (sc. τέχνη) the art of arrangement or tactics, fem. of τακτικός, TACTIC a.1, = F. (la) tactique (sometimes used in Eng.). In sense 2, ad. Gr. τακτικός (sc. ἀνήρ) tactician.]
1. A system of tactics; = TACTICS 1.
[1570. J. Dee, Math. Pref., a iv b, margin. The difference betwene Stratarithmetrie and Tactice (printed Tacticie).]
1766. Misc., in Ann. Reg., 171/2. What is commonly called Tactick, or the formation of battalions.
1801. in Nicolas, Disp. Nelson (1845), IV. 303. He alluded … to the total want of tactique among the Northern Fleets.
1838–42. Arnold, Hist. Rome, II. xxix. 143. The arms and tactic of both armies were precisely similar.
b. A piece of military tactics.
1868. Freeman, Norm. Conq., II. ix. 389. Ralph required his men to practise an unusual and foreign tactic.
c. transf. and fig.
1791. Burke, App. Whigs, Wks. VI. 206. By a divine tactick.
1817. Sporting Mag., L. 8. Great coquettes have another tactic.
1860. M. Pattison, in Ess. & Rev., 314. Lord Chesterfield, seeing what advantage the High-church party derived from this tactic, endeavoured to turn it against them.
† 2. A tactician. Obs.
1638. Junius, Paint. Ancients, 128. A Tactike shall never know how to set his men in aray, unlesse he doe first trie the case by designe.
a. 1641. Bp. Mountagu, Acts & Mon., ii. (1642), 81. Removes, ambulante exercitu, as Tacticks phrase it.
3. Math. (See quots.)
1861. Sylvester, in Phil. Mag., 374. I have given the general name of Tactic to the third pure mathematical science, of which order is the proper sphere, as are number and space of the other two.
1864. Cayley, Math. Papers, V. 294. The two great divisions of Algebra are Tactic and Logistic. Ibid. (1883), XI. 433. We have a large enough subject, including the partition of numbers, which Sylvester has called Tactic.
