Exact | Webster's Dictionary (1865)

Ex-āct', a.

adjective

(egz-ăkt') a. [Lat. exactus, precise, accurate, p. p. of exigere, to drive out, to demand, enforce, to apply to a standard or measure, to try, measure, from ex and agere, to drive; Fr. exact, Sp. exacto, It. esatto.] 1. Precisely agreeing with a standard, a fact, or the truth; as, the exact sum; the exact time. All this, exact to rule, were brought about. Pope. 2. Habitually careful to agree with a standard, with a rule or a promise; accurate; methodical; punctual; as, exact in payment; exact in observing an appointment. I see thou art exact of taste. Milton.

Marked by habitual or constant nicety or care; as, exact in keeping accounts.
Precisely or definitely conceived or stated; proceeding from, or characterized by, exactness.

An exact command, larded with many reasons. Shak. Syn.—Accurate; correct; precise; nice; methodical; careful. See ACCURATE.

Ex-āct', v. t.

verbtransitive

(egz-ākt'), v. t. [imp. & p. EXACTED; p. pr. & vb. n. EXACTING.] [Lat. exigere, exactum; Pr., Sp., & Pg. exigir; Fr. exiger, It. esigere.] 1. To demand or require authoritatively or of right; to compel payment or delivery of; to enforce a yielding of; to extort; as, to exact tribute, fees, obedience, and the like.

Duty, And justice to my father's soul, exact This cruel piety. Denham.

Sense 2. To require the presence of. [Obs.]

My designs Exact me in another place. Massinger.

Ex-ăct′, v. i.

verbintransitive

v. i. To practice extortion. [Obs.] The enemy shall not exact upon him. Ps. lxxxix. 22.