Lewis & Short

2. tactus, ūs, m. [tango], a touching, touch, handling (class.).

  1. I. Lit.: salutantum tactu praeterque meantum, Lucr. 1, 318: quae (chordae) ad quemque tactum respondeant, Cic. de Or. 3, 57, 216: leo asper tactu, Hor. C. 3, 2, 11; Verg. A. 2, 683; 7, 618; id. G. 3, 416; 3, 502: tactus Assilientis aquae, Ov. M. 6, 106: tactuque viriles Virgineo removete manus, id. ib. 13, 466; so, viriles, id. ib. 10, 434.
    Prov.: membra reformidant mollem quoque saucia tactum, Ov. P. 2, 7, 13.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. Influence, effect, operation: solis, Cic. N. D. 2, 15, 40: lunae, id. Div. 2, 46, 97: caeli, Verg. A. 3, 138: sentio illorum tactu orationem meam quasi colorari, Cic. de Or. 2, 14, 60.
    2. B. The sense of feeling, feeling, touch: tactus corporis est sensus, Lucr. 2, 434 sq.: tactus toto corpore aequabiliter fusus est, Cic. N. D. 2, 56, 141: ut caelum sub aspectum et tactum cadat, id. Univ. 5: habere tactum atque gustatum, Plin. 11, 4, 3, § 10: Cyrenaei (dicunt) ea se sola percipere, quae tactu intimo sentiant, ut dolorem, ut voluptatem, Cic. Ac. 2, 24, 76; cf. id. ib. 2, 7, 20: qui … non odore ullo, non tactu, non sapore capiatur, id. Cael. 17, 42 (Lucr. 1, 454 is an interpolation; v. Lachm. and Munro ad loc.).