[pl. of TACTIC sb.1, rendering mod.L. (17th c.) tactica pl., Gr. τὰ τακτικά, lit. ‘matters pertaining to arrangement’: see -IC2.]
1. The art or science of deploying military or naval forces in order of battle, and of performing warlike evolutions and manœuvres.
As an art or science often construed as sing.; as carried out in practice usually as pl.
1626. Gouge, Serm. Dignity Chivalry, § 4. Martiall discipline, Artillery tacticks, and Military trainings are matters of moment.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., 31. Claudius Ælianus … flourished not long after in the raigne of Trajan, unto whom he dedicated his Tacticks.
1710. J. Harris, Lex. Techn., II. Tacticks, is the Art of Disposing any Number of Men into a proper form of Battle.
1782. V. Knox, Ess., I. xix. 94. Tactics and fortification … must be studied, as essentially necessary to the military and naval officer.
1853. J. H. Newman, Hist. Sk. (1873), II. I. iv. 190. Their tactics by sea was a sort of land engagement on deck.
1876. Freeman, Norm. Conq., V. xxiii. 265. At Tinchebrai, though the chiefs are Norman, the tactics are English.
b. transf. and fig.
1763. Sir W. Jones, Caissa, Wks. 1799, VI. 502. The chief art in the Tacticks of Chess consists in the nice conduct of the royal pawns.
1842. Miall, in Nonconf., II. 305. We have seen principle strangled by tactics so often.
1856. Emerson, Eng. Traits, v. 83. In parliament, the tactics of the Opposition is to resist every step of the Government by a pitiless attack.
† 2. Arrangement, disposition. Obs. rare–1.
1650. Fuller, Pisgah, 392. So strange a posture, that scarcely either Jewish or Christian Tacticks of Temple-implements, will admit thereof.
