act
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.
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.
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.
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.
act on / upon
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.
Idioms about act
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
1synonym study For act
Other words for act
1 | feat, exploit; achievement; transaction; accomplishment |
4 | record |
6 | turn, routine |
10-13 | perform, function, work |
play | 19, 21 play |
Other words from act
- mis·act, verb (used without object)
- postact, noun
- pre·act, verb (used with object)
- un·act·ed, adjective
- well-acted, adjective
Other definitions for ACT (2 of 3)
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.
Other definitions for act. (3 of 3)
acting.
active.
actor.
actual.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use act in a sentence
The simple act of wearing a covering over one’s mouth and nose has become particularly divisive as some question the changing recommendations issued by top health organizations.
Inconclusive results, missing data: Experts push back on a study questioning the efficacy of masks | Meryl Kornfield | November 20, 2020 | Washington PostIn so doing, he dismisses as “very unlikely” the suggestion that Nero ordered the burning of his capital — an act that would have been both illogical and difficult.
The records act makes no exception for cases in which searching for a public record “would require the state to work hard,” the analysis found.
Junior Staffer Says Top Alaska Official Told Her to Keep Allegations of Misconduct Secret | by Kyle Hopkins, Anchorage Daily News | November 18, 2020 | ProPublicaProving that something is impossible is a powerful act of mathematics.
Some Math Problems Seem Impossible. That Can Be a Good Thing. | Patrick Honner | November 18, 2020 | Quanta MagazineOutside contributor Daniel Duane traveled to Southern California to talk to Corliss about his latest high-wire act.
Servis, a general contractor, was baffled by how introverted Stone acted.
When they thought about Lewis, what struck the players most was that he never acted like a do-gooder.
LAPD police chief Charlie Beck concluded Corrales and Diego had acted reasonably.
Worse Than Eric Garner: Cops Who Got Away With Killing Autistic Men and Little Girls | Emily Shire | December 4, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTBut Stephen Kotkin's new biography reveals a learned despot who acted cunningly to take advantage of the times.
Kotkin Biography Reveals Stalin's Evil Pragmatism | William O’Connor | November 30, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTI dressed as a girl, lived as a girl, acted as a girl, and that was that.
Exclusive: Michael Phelps’s Intersex Self-Proclaimed Girlfriend, Taylor Lianne Chandler, Tells All | Aurora Snow | November 26, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTWhereas Lessard had acted the martinet with MacRae, he took another tack and became the very essence of affability toward me.
Raw Gold | Bertrand W. SinclairHe acted dejected and dispirited, and if he could have talked would have asked the meaning of it all.
The Courier of the Ozarks | Byron A. DunnMr. Wainwright acted as secretary and I kept the minute book and papers relating to the business of the committee.
Fifty Years of Railway Life in England, Scotland and Ireland | Joseph TatlowThereupon the unhappy woman acted; the long suppressed outburst came at last.
Dope | Sax RohmerThis was a somewhat singular mode of stimulating, but he deemed it the wisest course, and acted on it.
Hunting the Lions | R.M. Ballantyne
British Dictionary definitions for act (1 of 3)
/ (ækt) /
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 (def. 4)
(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)
(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 of: to 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 be: to 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
Origin of act
1Derived forms of act
- actable, adjective
- actability, noun
British Dictionary definitions for ACT (2 of 3)
Australian Capital Territory
(formerly in Britain) advance corporation tax
British Dictionary definitions for ACT (3 of 3)
/ (ækt) /
(in New Zealand) Association of Consumers and Taxpayers: a small political party of the right
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
Other Idioms and Phrases with 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
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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