act

[ akt ]

/ ækt /

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noun

anything done, being done, or to be done; deed; performance: a heroic act.

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.

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.

false show; pretense; feint: 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.

to feign; counterfeit: to act outraged virtue.

to behave as: He acted the fool.

Obsolete. to actuate.

Verb Phrases

act on/upon,

to act in accordance with; follow: He acted on my advice.
to have an effect on; affect: The stirring music acted on the emotions of the audience.

act out,

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 up,

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.

get/have one's act together, Informal. to organize one's time, job, resources, etc., so as to function efficiently: The new administration is still getting its act together.

Nearby words

acrylic fibre, acrylic resin, acrylonitrile, acrylyl, acrylyl group, act, act call, act curtain, act of contrition, act of faith, act of god

Idioms

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.

Origin of act

1350–1400; Middle English act(e) (< Middle French) < Latin ācta, plural of āctum something done, noun use of past participle of agere to do (āg- past participle stem + -tum neuter past participle suffix); and directly < Latin āctus a doing (āg- + -tus suffix of v. action)

SYNONYMS FOR act

1 feat, exploit; achievement; transaction; accomplishment. See action.

4 record.

6 turn, routine.

10–13 perform, function, work. play. 19, 21 play.

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Related forms

mis·act, verb (used without object)post·act, nounpre·act, verb (used with object)un·act·ed, adjective

well-act·ed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for act out (1 of 4)

act out

verb (adverb)

(tr) to reproduce (an idea, former event, etc) in actions, often by mime

psychiatry to express unconsciously (a repressed impulse or experience) in overt behaviour

British Dictionary definitions for act out (2 of 4)

ACT

abbreviation for

Australian Capital Territory

(formerly in Britain) advance corporation tax

British Dictionary definitions for act out (3 of 4)

ACT

/ (ækt) /

n acronym for

(in New Zealand) Association of Consumers and Taxpayers: a small political party of the right

British Dictionary definitions for act out (4 of 4)

act

/ (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 determinedCompare event (def. 4)

verb

(intr) to do something; carry out an action

(intr) to function in a specified way; operate; reacthis 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)

(intr foll by as) 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 ofto act the fool

(copula) to behave in a manner appropriate to (esp in the phrase act one's age)

(copula) not standard to seem or pretend to beto act tired

clean up one's act to 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

Derived Forms

actable, adjectiveactability, noun

Word Origin for act

C14: from Latin actus a doing, performance, and actum a thing done, from the past participle of agere to do

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with act out (1 of 2)

act out

Perform or portray something or someone, as in As she read to the class, the teacher had each child act out a different character in the story. [c. 1600]

Express unconscious feelings or impulses through one's behavior, without being aware of it. For example, She acted out her anger at her father by screaming at her husband. This meaning comes from 20th-century psychological theory and usually (but not always) refers to negative or hostile impulses and emotions. The term is sometimes used without an object to mean “misbehave” or “behave disruptively,” as in The child is acting out in class. [First half of 1900s] In both usages, out means “openly” or “publicly.”

Idioms and Phrases with act out (2 of 2)

act

In addition to the idioms beginning with act

act of faith
act of God
act on
act one's age
act out
act up
act upon

also see:

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