act
1 Americannoun
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anything done, being done, or to be done; deed; performance.
a heroic act.
- Synonyms:
- accomplishment, transaction, achievement, exploit, feat
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the process of doing.
caught in the act.
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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.
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an instrument or document stating something done or transacted.
- Synonyms:
- record
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one of the main divisions of a play or opera.
the second act of Hamlet.
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a short performance by one or more entertainers, usually part of a variety show or radio or television program.
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the personnel of such a group.
The act broke up after 30 years.
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The politician's pious remarks were all an act.
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Philosophy. (in scholasticism)
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activity in process; operation.
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the principle or power of operation.
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form as determining essence.
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a state of realization, as opposed to potentiality.
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verb (used without object)
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to do something; exert energy or force; be employed or operative.
He acted promptly in the emergency.
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to reach, make, or issue a decision on some matter.
I am required to act before noon tomorrow.
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to operate or function in a particular way; perform specific duties or functions.
to act as manager.
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to produce an effect; perform a function.
The medicine failed to act.
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to behave or conduct oneself in a particular fashion.
to act well under all conditions.
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to pretend; feign.
Act interested even if you're bored.
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to perform as an actor.
He acted in three plays by Molière.
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to be capable of being performed.
His plays don't act well.
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to serve or substitute (usually followed byfor ).
In my absence the assistant manager will act for me.
verb (used with object)
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to represent (a fictitious or historical character) with one's person.
to act Macbeth.
- Synonyms:
- play
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to feign; counterfeit.
to act outraged virtue.
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to behave as.
He acted the fool.
- Synonyms:
- play
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Obsolete. to actuate.
verb phrase
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act up
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to fail to function properly; malfunction.
The vacuum cleaner is acting up again.
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to behave willfully.
The children always act up in school the day before a holiday.
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to become painful or troublesome, especially after a period of improvement or remission.
My arthritis is acting up again this morning.
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get / have one's act together to organize one's time, job, resources, etc., so as to function efficiently.
The new administration is still getting its act together.
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act on / upon
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act out
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to demonstrate or illustrate by pantomime or by words and gestures.
The party guests acted out stories for one another.
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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.
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idioms
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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.
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clean up one's act, to begin adhering to more acceptable practices, rules of behavior, etc..
The factory must clean up its act and treat its employees better.
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act funny, to display eccentric or suspicious behavior.
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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.
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Association of Classroom Teachers.
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Australian Capital Territory.
abbreviation
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acting.
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active.
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actor.
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actual.
noun
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something done or performed; a deed
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the performance of some physical or mental process; action
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(capital when part of a name) the formally codified result of deliberation by a legislative body; a law, edict, decree, statute, etc
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(often plural) a formal written record of transactions, proceedings, etc, as of a society, committee, or legislative body
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a major division of a dramatic work
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a short performance of skill, a comic sketch, dance, etc, esp one that is part of a programme of light entertainment
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those giving such a performance
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an assumed attitude or pose, esp one intended to impress
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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
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(intr) to do something; carry out an action
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(intr) to function in a specified way; operate; react
his mind acted quickly
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to perform (a part or role) in a play, etc
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(tr) to present (a play, etc) on stage
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(intr; usually foll by for or as) to be a substitute (for); function in place (of)
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to serve the function or purpose (of)
the glass acted as protection
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(intr) to conduct oneself or behave (as if one were)
she usually acts like a lady
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(intr) to behave in an unnatural or affected way
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(copula) to pose as; play the part of
to act the fool
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(copula) to behave in a manner appropriate to (esp in the phrase act one's age )
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not_standard (copula) to seem or pretend to be
to act tired
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to start to behave in a responsible manner
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informal to become involved in a profitable undertaking or advantageous situation in order to share in the benefits
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informal to become organized or prepared
abbreviation
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Australian Capital Territory
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(formerly in Britain) advance corporation tax
acronym
Related Words
See action.
Other Word Forms
- actability noun
- actable adjective
- misact verb (used without object)
- postact noun
- preact verb (used with object)
- unacted adjective
- well-acted adjective
Etymology
Origin of act
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English act(e), from Middle French, from Latin ācta, plural of āctum “something done,” noun use of neuter past participle of agere “to do, drive”; also from Latin āctus “deed,” noun use of masculine past participle of agere
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And if I didn’t act fast, this sly picker of pockets would be helping himself to my aunt’s money at any second.
From Literature
Loudmouth Books – Founded in 2023 by Leah Johnson, the award-winning author of “You Should See Me in a Crown,” Loudmouth Books is more than a bookstore — it’s a deliberate act of care and resistance.
From Salon
The men claimed they had been attempting to produce their own documentary in response to A Very British Cult and said they had been acting as "citizen journalists".
From BBC
Along the way, BTS became the first Korean act to headline Wembley Stadium.
From BBC
Some may respond to different signals and act as backup systems.
From Science Daily
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.
