Definition of "politic"

[H]e with his people made all but one politic body whereof himself was the head

a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “(please specify the page number)”, in Fulke Greville, Matthew Gwinne, and John Florio, editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia], London: […] [John Windet] for William Ponsonbie, published 1590; republished in Albert Feuillerat, editor, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia (Cambridge English Classics: The Complete Works of Sir Philip Sidney; I), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: University Press, 1912,

For then this land was famously enrich'd / With politic grave counsel

c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act II, scene iii]

I have been politic with my friend, smooth with mine enemy

c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act V, scene iv]

A unanimous exclamation called upon Evelyn himself to speak; and, after a minute's politic pause, he went on to state his plan.

1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter IV, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume III, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), page 25

Deferential, glad to be of use, / Politic, cautious, and meticulous; […]

1915 June, T[homas] S[tearns] Eliot, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”, in Prufrock and Other Observations, London: The Egotist […], published 1917, page 15

to speake truly of politikes & Statesmen

1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of the True Greatness of Kingdoms and Estates”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret

Swiftly the politic goes; is it dark? he borrows a lantern; / Slowly the statesman and sure, guiding his feet by the stars.

1848, James Russell Lowell, The Complete Poetical Works of James Russell Lowell, Epigrams, 3

And therefore our politic Asclepius may be supposed to have exhibited the power of his art only to persons who... had a definite ailment.

1871, Benjamin Jowett, chapter III, in Plato: The Republic

That why you turned the Kanuyaq Land Trust into the IRS for using donations to politic instead of to buy land?

2002, Dana Stabenow, A Fine and Bitter Snow, page 206

Residents of New York, Illinois and now New Hampshire have watched as their governors waffled, politicked and, in the case of Illinois, possibly broke the law carrying out their duties to appoint a new senator.

2009 February 4, “How to Fill a Senate Seat”, in New York Times‎

His brother [Anthony], he politicked him so well, that even his [Jason's] attitude, all the scouts got away from [forgot about] his [bad] attitude because he was a good player.

2009, Scott N. Brooks, Black Men Can't Shoot, page 169

He made errors, and they should have reversed him, but he politicked the thing through.

2017, John Hayman, Bitter Harvest: Richmond Flowers and the Civil Rights Revolution