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act
1[ akt ]
noun
- anything done, being done, or to be done; deed; performance:
a heroic act.
Synonyms: accomplishment, transaction, achievement, exploit, feat
- the process of doing:
caught in the act.
- a formal decision, law, or the like, by a legislature, ruler, court, or other authority; decree or edict; statute; judgment, resolve, or award:
an act of Congress.
- an instrument or document stating something done or transacted.
Synonyms: record
- one of the main divisions of a play or opera:
the second act of Hamlet.
- a short performance by one or more entertainers, usually part of a variety show or radio or television program.
- the personnel of such a group:
The act broke up after 30 years.
The politician's pious remarks were all an act.
- Philosophy. (in scholasticism)
- activity in process; operation.
- the principle or power of operation.
- form as determining essence.
- a state of realization, as opposed to potentiality.
verb (used without object)
- to do something; exert energy or force; be employed or operative:
He acted promptly in the emergency.
- to reach, make, or issue a decision on some matter:
I am required to act before noon tomorrow.
- to operate or function in a particular way; perform specific duties or functions:
to act as manager.
- to produce an effect; perform a function:
The medicine failed to act.
- to behave or conduct oneself in a particular fashion:
to act well under all conditions.
- to pretend; feign:
Act interested even if you're bored.
- to perform as an actor:
He acted in three plays by Molière.
- to be capable of being performed:
His plays don't act well.
- to serve or substitute (usually followed by for ):
In my absence the assistant manager will act for me.
verb (used with object)
- to represent (a fictitious or historical character) with one's person:
to act Macbeth.
Synonyms: play
- to feign; counterfeit:
to act outraged virtue.
- to behave as:
He acted the fool.
Synonyms: play
- Obsolete. to actuate.
verb phrase
- to fail to function properly; malfunction:
The vacuum cleaner is acting up again.
- to behave willfully:
The children always act up in school the day before a holiday.
- to become painful or troublesome, especially after a period of improvement or remission:
My arthritis is acting up again this morning.
- Informal. to organize one's time, job, resources, etc., so as to function efficiently:
The new administration is still getting its act together.
- to demonstrate or illustrate by pantomime or by words and gestures:
The party guests acted out stories for one another.
- Psychology. to give overt expression to (repressed emotions or impulses) without insightful understanding:
The patients acted out early traumas by getting angry with the analyst.
ACT
2- Trademark. a standardized college admissions test developed by ACT, Inc., measuring English, mathematics, reading, and science skills: originally an abbreviation of American College Testing/American College Test. Compare SAT.
- Association of Classroom Teachers.
- Australian Capital Territory.
act.
3abbreviation for
- acting.
- active.
- actor.
- actual.
act
1/ ækt /
noun
- something done or performed; a deed
- the performance of some physical or mental process; action
- capital when part of a name the formally codified result of deliberation by a legislative body; a law, edict, decree, statute, etc
- often plural a formal written record of transactions, proceedings, etc, as of a society, committee, or legislative body
- a major division of a dramatic work
- a short performance of skill, a comic sketch, dance, etc, esp one that is part of a programme of light entertainment
- those giving such a performance
- an assumed attitude or pose, esp one intended to impress
- philosophy an occurrence effected by the volition of a human agent, usually opposed at least as regards its explanation to one which is causally determined Compare event
verb
- intr to do something; carry out an action
- intr to function in a specified way; operate; react
his mind acted quickly
- to perform (a part or role) in a play, etc
- tr to present (a play, etc) on stage
- intr; usually foll by for or as to be a substitute (for); function in place (of)
- intrfoll byas to serve the function or purpose (of)
the glass acted as protection
- intr to conduct oneself or behave (as if one were)
she usually acts like a lady
- intr to behave in an unnatural or affected way
- copula to pose as; play the part of
to act the fool
- copula to behave in a manner appropriate to (esp in the phrase act one's age )
- not_standard.copula to seem or pretend to be
to act tired
- clean up one's actto start to behave in a responsible manner
- get in on the act informal.to become involved in a profitable undertaking or advantageous situation in order to share in the benefits
- get one's act together informal.to become organized or prepared
ACT
2abbreviation for
- Australian Capital Territory
- (formerly in Britain) advance corporation tax
ACT
3/ ækt /
acronym for
- (in New Zealand) Association of Consumers and Taxpayers: a small political party of the right
Derived Forms
- ˈactable, adjective
- ˌactaˈbility, noun
Other Words From
- mis·act verb (used without object)
- postact noun
- pre·act verb (used with object)
- un·acted adjective
- well-acted adjective
Word History and Origins
Origin of act1
Word History and Origins
Origin of act1
Idioms and Phrases
- act funny, to display eccentric or suspicious behavior.
- act one's age, to behave in a manner appropriate to one's maturity:
We children enjoyed our uncle because he didn't always act his age.
- clean up one's act, Informal. to begin adhering to more acceptable practices, rules of behavior, etc.:
The factory must clean up its act and treat its employees better.
More idioms and phrases containing act
- catch in the act
- clean up (one's act)
- do a disappearing act
- get in the act
- get one's act together
- hard (tough) act to follow
- high-wire act
- in the act of
- put on an act
Synonym Study
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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