contrivance vs tactic

contrivance

noun
  • A means, such as an elaborate plan or strategy, to accomplish a certain objective. 

  • Something overly artful or artificial. 

  • A (mechanical) device to perform a certain task. 

tactic

noun
  • A maneuver, or action calculated to achieve some end. 

  • A maneuver used against an enemy. 

  • A sequence of moves that limits the opponent's options and results in an immediate and tangible advantage, typically in the form of material. 

adj
  • Describing a polymer whose repeat units are identical 

How often have the words contrivance and tactic occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )