act

Plural: acts

Noun

• a legal document codifying the result of deliberations of a committee or society or legislative body
• something that people do or cause to happen
• a subdivision of a play or opera or ballet
• a short theatrical performance that is part of a longer program
  • "he did his act three times every evening"
• a manifestation of insincerity
  • "he put on quite an act for her benefit"
• Something done, a deed.
• Actuality.
• Something done once and for all, as distinguished from a work.
• A product of a legislative body, a statute.
• (In the United States) A legislative proposal, a bill that has not yet become law.
• The process of doing something.
• A formal or official record of something done.
• A division of a theatrical performance.
• A performer or performers in a show.
• Any organized activity.
• A display of behaviour.
• A display of behaviour.
• A display of behaviour meant to deceive.
• A thesis maintained in public, in some English universities, by a candidate for a degree, or to show the proficiency of a student.
• Ellipsis of act of parliament.

Verb

Verb Forms: acted, acting, acts

• To take action or do something.
• perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
  • "think before you act"
  • "The governor should act on the new energy bill"
  • "The nanny acted quickly by grabbing the toddler and covering him with a wet towel"
• behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself
  • "You should act like an adult"
  • "The dog acts ferocious, but he is really afraid of people"
• play a role or part
  • "She wants to act Lady Macbeth, but she is too young for the role"
• discharge one's duties
  • "She acts as the chair"
  • "In what capacity are you acting?"
• pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind
  • "He acted the idiot"
• be suitable for theatrical performance
  • "This scene acts well"
• have an effect or outcome; often the one desired or expected
  • "How does your idea work in practice?"
  • "The breaks of my new car act quickly"
• be engaged in an activity, often for no particular purpose other than pleasure
• behave unnaturally or affectedly
  • "She's just acting"
• perform on a stage or theater
  • "She acts in this play"
  • "He acted in `Julius Caesar'"
• To do something.
• To do (something); to perform.
• To perform a theatrical role.
• Of a play: to be acted out (well or badly).
• To behave in a certain manner for an indefinite length of time.
• To convey an appearance of being.
• To do something that causes a change binding on the doer.
• To have an effect (on).
• To play (a role).
• To feign.
• To carry out work as a legal representative in relation to a particular legal matter.
• To possess an action onto (some other structure). Examples include the group action of a group on a set, the action of a ring on a module by scalar multiplication, and the action of a group or algebra on a vector space via a representation.
• To move to action; to actuate; to animate.
• To enact; to decree.

Adv

• Clipping of actually.

Examples

• A dog which acts aggressively is likely to bite.
• A lawyer cannot act until they have been formally instructed by their client.
• act on behalf of John
• an act of goodwill
• Gravitational force acts on heavy bodies.
• He acted the angry parent, but was secretly amused.
• He acted unconcerned so the others wouldn’t worry.
• He was caught in the act of stealing.
• He’s acting strangely—I think there’s something wrong with him.
• He’s been acting Shakespearean leads since he was twelve.
• High-pressure oxygen acts on the central nervous system and may cause convulsions or death.
• I believe that Bill’s stuck-up because of the way that he acts.
• I started acting at the age of eleven in my local theatre.
• If you don’t act soon, you will be in trouble.
• james did u act enjoy that juice? looked like u were gagging icl
• The pivotal moment in the play was in the first scene of the second act.
• This group acts on the circle, so it can't be left-orderable!
• to put on an act
• Which act did you prefer? The soloist or the band?
• You need to act now or that triple-word score will be gone.

Synonyms

act as, behave, bit, deed, dissemble, do, enactment, human action, human activity, move, number, play, playact, pretend, represent, roleplay, routine, turn, work, action, pretense, statute

Antonyms

refrain

Related Words

action, activate, active, agency, agent, deactivate

Anagrams of act