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.
Speaking of “Gangs of New York,” Mr. Scorsese had to convince Daniel Day-Lewis to return to acting—he was, at the time, a cobbler’s apprentice in Florence.
Doing so requires a two-thirds vote in the Senate or a joint act of Congress.
This area is separated from the rest of the cell by an actin-myosin condensate barrier, which acts like a physical boundary and directs proteins to the advancing edge.
From Science Daily
Not to be missed right now is a small, exquisitely acted production of “The Price” at Pacific Resident Theatre.
From Los Angeles Times
“I’m very excited about the festival because I get to do comedy rather than acting in murder shows. This is the time I get to be a silly billy. And I like that about myself.”
From Los Angeles Times
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.
