act


Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Financial, Acronyms, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

ACT 1

 (ā′sē-tē′)
A trademark for a standardized college entrance examination.

ACT 2

abbr.
Australian Capital Territory

act

 (ăkt)
n.
1. The process of doing or performing something: the act of thinking.
2.
a. Something done or performed; a deed: a charitable act.
b. Law Something done that has legal significance: a criminal act.
3. A statute or other law formally adopted by a legislative body: an act of Congress.
4. A formal written record of proceedings or transactions.
5. One of the major divisions of a play, opera, or film.
6.
a. A performance or entertainment usually forming part of a longer presentation: a juggling act; a magic act.
b. The actor or actors presenting such a performance: joined the act in Phoenix.
7. A manifestation of intentional or unintentional insincerity; a pose: put on an act.
v. act·ed, act·ing, acts
v.tr.
1. To play the part of; assume the dramatic role of: She plans to act Ophelia in summer stock.
2. To perform (a role) on the stage: act the part of the villain.
3.
a. To behave like or pose as; impersonate: Don't act the fool.
b. To behave in a manner suitable for: Act your age.
v.intr.
1. To behave or comport oneself: She acts like a born leader.
2. To perform in a dramatic role or roles.
3. To be suitable for theatrical performance: This scene acts well.
4. To behave affectedly or unnaturally; pretend.
5. To appear or seem to be: The dog acted ferocious.
6. To carry out an action: We acted immediately. The governor has not yet acted on the bill.
7. To operate or function in a specific way: His mind acts quickly.
8. To serve or function as a substitute for another: A coin can act as a screwdriver.
9. To produce an effect: waited five minutes for the anesthetic to act.
Phrasal Verbs:
act out
1. To perform in or as if in a play; represent dramatically: act out a story.
2. To realize in action: wanted to act out his theory.
3. To engage in socially inappropriate or impulsive behavior as a manifestation of psychological or emotional pain or turmoil.
act up
1. To misbehave.
2. To malfunction.
3. Informal To become active or troublesome after a period of quiescence: My left knee acts up in damp weather. Her arthritis is acting up again.
Idioms:
be in on the act
To be included in an activity.
clean up (one's) act Slang
To improve one's behavior or performance.
get into the act
To insert oneself into an ongoing activity, project, or situation.
get (one's) act together Slang
To get organized.

[Middle English, from Old French acte, from Latin āctus, a doing, and āctum, a thing done, both from past participle of agere, to drive, do; see ag- in Indo-European roots.]

ac′ta·bil′i·ty n.
act′a·ble adj.
Usage Note: Act and action both mean "a deed" and "the process of doing." However, other senses of act, such as "a decision made by a legislative body" and of action, such as "habitual or vigorous activity" show that act tends to refer to a deed while action tends to refer to the process of doing. Thus, people engage in sex acts but not sex actions. By the same token, one may want a piece of the action, but not a piece of the act. The demands of meaning or idiom often require one word or the other. In some cases, either can be used: my act (or action) was premature.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

act

(ækt)
n
1. something done or performed; a deed
2. the performance of some physical or mental process; action
3. (Law) (capital when part of a name) the formally codified result of deliberation by a legislative body; a law, edict, decree, statute, etc
4. (Law) (often plural) a formal written record of transactions, proceedings, etc, as of a society, committee, or legislative body
5. (Theatre) a major division of a dramatic work
6. (Theatre)
a. a short performance of skill, a comic sketch, dance, etc, esp one that is part of a programme of light entertainment
b. those giving such a performance
7. an assumed attitude or pose, esp one intended to impress
8. (Philosophy) 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 event4
vb
9. (intr) to do something; carry out an action
10. (intr) to function in a specified way; operate; react: his mind acted quickly.
11. (Theatre) to perform (a part or role) in a play, etc
12. (Theatre) (tr) to present (a play, etc) on stage
13. (intr; usually foll by for or as) to be a substitute (for); function in place (of)
14. (foll by: as) to serve the function or purpose (of): the glass acted as protection.
15. (intr) to conduct oneself or behave (as if one were): she usually acts like a lady.
16. (intr) to behave in an unnatural or affected way
17. (copula) to pose as; play the part of: to act the fool.
18. (copula) to behave in a manner appropriate to (esp in the phrase act one's age)
19. (copula) not standard to seem or pretend to be: to act tired.
20. clean up one's act to start to behave in a responsible manner
21. get in on the act informal to become involved in a profitable undertaking or advantageous situation in order to share in the benefits
22. get one's act together informal to become organized or prepared
[C14: from Latin actus a doing, performance, and actum a thing done, from the past participle of agere to do]
ˈactable adj
ˌactaˈbility n

ACT

abbreviation for
1. (Placename) Australian Capital Territory
2. (Accounting & Book-keeping) (formerly in Britain) advance corporation tax

ACT

(ækt)
n acronym for
(Government, Politics & Diplomacy) (in New Zealand) Association of Consumers and Taxpayers: a small political party of the right
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

act

(ækt)

n.
1. anything done, being done, or to be done; deed: an act of mercy.
2. the process of doing: caught in the act.
3. a formal decision, law, or the like, by a legislature, ruler, court, or other authority; decree or edict; statute: an act of Congress.
4. an instrument or document stating something done or transacted.
5. one of the main divisions of a play or opera.
6.
a. a short performance by one or more entertainers, usu. part of a variety show, circus, etc.
b. the routine or style by which an entertainer or group of entertainers is known: a magic act.
c. the personnel of such a group.
7. a display of insincere behavior assumed for effect; pretense.
v.i.
8. to do something; carry out an action; exert energy or force.
9. to reach or issue a decision on some matter.
10. to operate or function in a particular way: to act as manager.
11. to produce an effect: The medicine failed to act.
12. to behave or conduct oneself in a particular fashion.
13. to pretend; feign.
14. to perform as an actor.
15. to be capable of being performed: His plays don't act well.
v.t.
16. to represent (a fictitious or historical character) with one's person: to act Macbeth.
17. to feign; counterfeit: to act outraged virtue.
18. to behave as: to act the fool.
19. to behave in a manner appropriate to: to act one's age.
20. Obs. to actuate.
21. act for, to represent, esp. legally.
22. act on or upon,
a. to act in accordance with; follow.
b. to have an effect on; affect.
23. act out,
a. to illustrate by pantomime or other gestures.
b. to express (repressed emotions) inappropriately and without conscious understanding.
24. act up,
a. to fail to function properly; malfunction.
b. to behave willfully.
c. (of a recurring ailment) to become painful or troublesome again.
Idioms:
1. clean up one's act, Informal. to begin adhering to more acceptable rules of behavior.
2. get or have one's act together,Informal. to behave or function responsibly and efficiently.
[1350–1400; Middle English (< Middle French) < Latin ācta, pl. of āctum, n. use of neuter past participle of agere to drive (cattle), do, perform]

ACT

1. American College Test.
2. Australian Capital Territory.

act.

active.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

act


Past participle: acted
Gerund: acting

Imperative
act
act
Present
I act
you act
he/she/it acts
we act
you act
they act
Preterite
I acted
you acted
he/she/it acted
we acted
you acted
they acted
Present Continuous
I am acting
you are acting
he/she/it is acting
we are acting
you are acting
they are acting
Present Perfect
I have acted
you have acted
he/she/it has acted
we have acted
you have acted
they have acted
Past Continuous
I was acting
you were acting
he/she/it was acting
we were acting
you were acting
they were acting
Past Perfect
I had acted
you had acted
he/she/it had acted
we had acted
you had acted
they had acted
Future
I will act
you will act
he/she/it will act
we will act
you will act
they will act
Future Perfect
I will have acted
you will have acted
he/she/it will have acted
we will have acted
you will have acted
they will have acted
Future Continuous
I will be acting
you will be acting
he/she/it will be acting
we will be acting
you will be acting
they will be acting
Present Perfect Continuous
I have been acting
you have been acting
he/she/it has been acting
we have been acting
you have been acting
they have been acting
Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been acting
you will have been acting
he/she/it will have been acting
we will have been acting
you will have been acting
they will have been acting
Past Perfect Continuous
I had been acting
you had been acting
he/she/it had been acting
we had been acting
you had been acting
they had been acting
Conditional
I would act
you would act
he/she/it would act
we would act
you would act
they would act
Past Conditional
I would have acted
you would have acted
he/she/it would have acted
we would have acted
you would have acted
they would have acted
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.act - a legal document codifying the result of deliberations of a committee or society or legislative bodyact - a legal document codifying the result of deliberations of a committee or society or legislative body
legal document, legal instrument, official document, instrument - (law) a document that states some contractual relationship or grants some right
nullity - something that is null (especially an enactment that has no legal validity)
decree, fiat, edict, rescript, order - a legally binding command or decision entered on the court record (as if issued by a court or judge); "a friend in New Mexico said that the order caused no trouble out there"
legislative act, statute - an act passed by a legislative body
law, jurisprudence - the collection of rules imposed by authority; "civilization presupposes respect for the law"; "the great problem for jurisprudence to allow freedom while enforcing order"
2.act - something that people do or cause to happenact - something that people do or cause to happen
event - something that happens at a given place and time
action - something done (usually as opposed to something said); "there were stories of murders and other unnatural actions"
acquiring, getting - the act of acquiring something; "I envied his talent for acquiring"; "he's much more interested in the getting than in the giving"
causation, causing - the act of causing something to happen
obstetrical delivery, delivery - the act of delivering a child
departure, going, going away, leaving - the act of departing
discovery, find, uncovering - the act of discovering something
disposition, disposal - the act or means of getting rid of something
effectuation, implementation - the act of implementing (providing a practical means for accomplishing something); carrying into effect
egression, egress, emergence - the act of coming (or going) out; becoming apparent
equalisation, equalization, leveling - the act of making equal or uniform
digging up, disinterment, exhumation - the act of digging something out of the ground (especially a corpse) where it has been buried
mitsvah, mitzvah - (Judaism) a good deed performed out of religious duty
actuation, propulsion - the act of propelling
recovery, retrieval - the act of regaining or saving something lost (or in danger of becoming lost)
running away - the act of leaving (without permission) the place you are expected to be
touching, touch - the act of putting two things together with no space between them; "at his touch the room filled with lights"
nonaccomplishment, nonachievement - an act that does not achieve its intended goal
leaning - the act of deviating from a vertical position
motivating, motivation - the act of motivating; providing incentive
assumption - the act of assuming or taking for granted; "your assumption that I would agree was unwarranted"
rejection - the act of rejecting something; "his proposals were met with rejection"
sacrifice, forfeit, forfeiture - the act of losing or surrendering something as a penalty for a mistake or fault or failure to perform etc.
derivation - the act of deriving something or obtaining something from a source or origin
activity - any specific behavior; "they avoided all recreational activity"
hire - the act of hiring something or someone; "he signed up for a week's car hire"
wearing, wear - the act of having on your person as a covering or adornment; "she bought it for everyday wear"
judgment, assessment, judgement - the act of judging or assessing a person or situation or event; "they criticized my judgment of the contestants"
production - the act or process of producing something; "Shakespeare's production of poetry was enormous"; "the production of white blood cells"
stay - continuing or remaining in a place or state; "they had a nice stay in Paris"; "a lengthy hospital stay"; "a four-month stay in bankruptcy court"
residency, abidance, residence - the act of dwelling in a place
inactivity - being inactive; being less active
interference, hinderance, hindrance - the act of hindering or obstructing or impeding
stop, stoppage - the act of stopping something; "the third baseman made some remarkable stops"; "his stoppage of the flow resulted in a flood"
group action - action taken by a group of people
distribution - the act of distributing or spreading or apportioning
legitimation - the act of rendering a person legitimate; "he has filial rights because he obtained letters of legitimation from the king"; "his parents' subsequent marriage resulted in his legitimation"
permissive waste, waste - (law) reduction in the value of an estate caused by act or neglect
proclamation, promulgation - the formal act of proclaiming; giving public notice; "his promulgation of the policy proved to be premature"
communicating, communication - the activity of communicating; the activity of conveying information; "they could not act without official communication from Moscow"
speech act - the use of language to perform some act
3.act - a subdivision of a play or opera or balletact - a subdivision of a play or opera or ballet
ballet, concert dance - a theatrical representation of a story that is performed to music by trained dancers
dramatic composition, dramatic work - a play for performance on the stage or television or in a movie etc.
drama, dramatic play, play - a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage; "he wrote several plays but only one was produced on Broadway"
scene - a subdivision of an act of a play; "the first act has three scenes"
opera - a drama set to music; consists of singing with orchestral accompaniment and an orchestral overture and interludes
4.act - a short theatrical performance that is part of a longer programact - a short theatrical performance that is part of a longer program; "he did his act three times every evening"; "she had a catchy little routine"; "it was one of the best numbers he ever did"
performance, public presentation - a dramatic or musical entertainment; "they listened to ten different performances"; "the play ran for 100 performances"; "the frequent performances of the symphony testify to its popularity"
showstopper, show-stopper, stopper - an act so striking or impressive that the show must be delayed until the audience quiets down
5.act - a manifestation of insincerityact - a manifestation of insincerity; "he put on quite an act for her benefit"
expression, reflexion, reflection, manifestation - expression without words; "tears are an expression of grief"; "the pulse is a reflection of the heart's condition"
Verb1.act - perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)act - perform an action, or work out or perform (an action); "think before you act"; "We must move quickly"; "The governor should act on the new energy bill"; "The nanny acted quickly by grabbing the toddler and covering him with a wet towel"
take turns, alternate - do something in turns; "We take turns on the night shift"
end up, fetch up, wind up, finish, finish up, land up - finally be or do something; "He ended up marrying his high school sweetheart"; "he wound up being unemployed and living at home again"
festinate, hasten, look sharp, hurry, rush - act or move at high speed; "We have to rush!"; "hurry--it's late!"
interrupt, disturb - destroy the peace or tranquility of; "Don't interrupt me when I'm reading"
react, respond - show a response or a reaction to something
go ahead, plow ahead - proceed (with a plan of action); "He went ahead with the project"
aggress, attack - take the initiative and go on the offensive; "The Serbs attacked the village at night"; "The visiting team started to attack"
force - do forcibly; exert force; "Don't force it!"
create - pursue a creative activity; be engaged in a creative activity; "Don't disturb him--he is creating"
come to the fore, step forward, step to the fore, come forward, step up, come out - make oneself visible; take action; "Young people should step to the fore and help their peers"
pay back, repay, reward - act or give recompense in recognition of someone's behavior or actions
satisfice, satisfise - decide on and pursue a course of action satisfying the minimum requirements to achieve a goal; "optimization requires processes that are more complex than those needed to merely satisfice"
manoeuver, manoeuvre, maneuver - act in order to achieve a certain goal; "He maneuvered to get the chairmanship"; "She maneuvered herself into the directorship"
dispatch - dispose of rapidly and without delay and efficiently; "He dispatched the task he was assigned"
evade - practice evasion; "This man always hesitates and evades"
use - habitually do something (use only in the past tense); "She used to call her mother every week but now she calls only occasionally"; "I used to get sick when I ate in that dining hall"; "They used to vacation in the Bahamas"
play it by ear - decide on one's actions as one goes along, depending on the situation; "She didn't know what to expect from her new job, so she played it by ear"
play - act or have an effect in a specified way or with a specific effect or outcome; "This factor played only a minor part in his decision"; "This development played into her hands"; "I played no role in your dismissal"
deal - take action with respect to (someone or something); "How are we going to deal with this problem?"; "The teacher knew how to deal with these lazy students"
partner - act as a partner; "Astaire partnered Rogers"
exert - make a great effort at a mental or physical task; "exert oneself"
egotrip - act in a way that attracts attention; "This teacher always egotrips and the students don't like him"
reciprocate - act, feel, or give mutually or in return; "We always invite the neighbors and they never reciprocate!"
go, proceed, move - follow a procedure or take a course; "We should go farther in this matter"; "She went through a lot of trouble"; "go about the world in a certain manner"; "Messages must go through diplomatic channels"
come close - nearly do something; "She came close to quitting her job"
perform - perform a function; "Who will perform the wedding?"
dare, make bold, presume - take upon oneself; act presumptuously, without permission; "How dare you call my lawyer?"
engage, pursue, prosecute - carry out or participate in an activity; be involved in; "She pursued many activities"; "They engaged in a discussion"
act on - regulate one's behavior in accordance with certain information, ideas, or advice; "The Founding Fathers acted on certain moral principles"
interact - act together or towards others or with others; "He should interact more with his colleagues"
react, oppose - act against or in opposition to; "She reacts negatively to everything I say"
take time by the forelock - act quickly and decisively; not let slip an opportunity
coact - act together, as of organisms
volunteer, offer - agree freely; "She volunteered to drive the old lady home"; "I offered to help with the dishes but the hostess would not hear of it"
get around to - do something despite obstacles such as lack of time; "He finally got around to painting the windows"
dally, toy, flirt, play - behave carelessly or indifferently; "Play about with a young girl's affection"
go about, set about, approach - begin to deal with; "approach a task"; "go about a difficult problem"; "approach a new project"
participate, take part - share in something
refrain, forbear - resist doing something; "He refrained from hitting him back"; "she could not forbear weeping"
2.act - behave in a certain manneract - behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself; "You should act like an adult"; "Don't behave like a fool"; "What makes her do this way?"; "The dog acts ferocious, but he is really afraid of people"
act involuntarily, act reflexively - act in an uncontrolled manner
bend over backwards, fall over backwards - try very hard to please someone; "She falls over backwards when she sees her mother-in-law"
presume - take liberties or act with too much confidence
vulgarise, vulgarize - act in a vulgar manner; "The drunkard tends to vulgarize"
optimise, optimize - act as an optimist and take a sunny view of the world
quack - act as a medical quack or a charlatan
menace - act in a threatening manner; "A menacing person"
make - act in a certain way so as to acquire; "make friends"; "make enemies"
bluster, swagger, swash - act in an arrogant, overly self-assured, or conceited manner
freeze - suddenly behave coldly and formally; "She froze when she saw her ex-husband"
wanton - behave extremely cruelly and brutally
romanticize - act in a romantic way
sentimentise, sentimentize, sentimentalise, sentimentalize - act in a sentimental way or indulge in sentimental thoughts or expression
bungle - spoil by behaving clumsily or foolishly; "I bungled it!"
toy, play - engage in an activity as if it were a game rather than take it seriously; "They played games on their opponents"; "play the stock market"; "play with her feelings"; "toy with an idea"
act as, act, play - pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind; "He acted the idiot"; "She plays deaf when the news are bad"
stooge - act as a stooge, in a compliant or subordinate manner; "He stooged for the flamboyant Senator"
jest, joke - act in a funny or teasing way
piffle - act in a trivial or ineffective way
make - behave in a certain way; "make merry"
make as if - begin or appear to begin an action; "He made as if to shake my hand"
pretend, dissemble, act - behave unnaturally or affectedly; "She's just acting"
lose it, break down, snap - lose control of one's emotions; "When she heard that she had not passed the exam, she lost it completely"; "When her baby died, she snapped"
dally, dawdle - waste time; "Get busy--don't dally!"
backslap - display excessive cordiality (towards); "he is always backslapping his colleagues at staff meetings"
hugger mugger - act stealthily or secretively
sauce - behave saucily or impudently towards
footle - act foolishly, as by talking nonsense
frivol, trifle - act frivolously
swell, puff up - become filled with pride, arrogance, or anger; "The mother was swelling with importance when she spoke of her son"
follow - accept and follow the leadership or command or guidance of; "Let's follow our great helmsman!"; "She followed a guru for years"
loosen up, relax - become less tense, less formal, or less restrained, and assume a friendlier manner; "our new colleague relaxed when he saw that we were a friendly group"
rage, ramp, storm - behave violently, as if in state of a great anger
act up - make itself felt as a recurring pain; "My arthritis is acting up again"
3.act - play a role or partact - play a role or part; "Gielgud played Hamlet"; "She wants to act Lady Macbeth, but she is too young for the role"; "She played the servant to her husband's master"
performing arts - arts or skills that require public performance
act as, act, play - pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind; "He acted the idiot"; "She plays deaf when the news are bad"
make believe, pretend, make - represent fictitiously, as in a play, or pretend to be or act like; "She makes like an actress"
re-create - create anew; "Re-create the boom of the West on a small scale"
playact, roleplay, act, play - perform on a stage or theater; "She acts in this play"; "He acted in `Julius Caesar'"; "I played in `A Christmas Carol'"
support - play a subordinate role to (another performer); "Olivier supported Gielgud beautifully in the second act"
play - pretend to be somebody in the framework of a game or playful activity; "Let's play like I am mommy"; "Play cowboy and Indians"
act out, enact, reenact - act out; represent or perform as if in a play; "She reenacted what had happened earlier that day"
act out - represent an incident, state, or emotion by action, especially on stage; "She could act neurotic anxiety"
impersonate, portray - assume or act the character of; "She impersonates Madonna"; "The actor portrays an elderly, lonely man"
parody - make a spoof of or make fun of
emote - give expression or emotion to, in a stage or movie role
4.act - discharge one's dutiesact - discharge one's duties; "She acts as the chair"; "In what capacity are you acting?"
serve - do duty or hold offices; serve in a specific function; "He served as head of the department for three years"; "She served in Congress for two terms"
criticise, criticize - act as a critic; "Those who criticize others often are not perfect, either"
bank - act as the banker in a game or in gambling
5.act - pretend to have certain qualities or state of mindact - pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind; "He acted the idiot"; "She plays deaf when the news are bad"
behave, act, do - behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself; "You should act like an adult"; "Don't behave like a fool"; "What makes her do this way?"; "The dog acts ferocious, but he is really afraid of people"
act, play, represent - play a role or part; "Gielgud played Hamlet"; "She wants to act Lady Macbeth, but she is too young for the role"; "She played the servant to her husband's master"
6.act - be suitable for theatrical performanceact - be suitable for theatrical performance; "This scene acts well"
playact, roleplay, act, play - perform on a stage or theater; "She acts in this play"; "He acted in `Julius Caesar'"; "I played in `A Christmas Carol'"
be - have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun); "John is rich"; "This is not a good answer"
7.act - have an effect or outcomeact - have an effect or outcome; often the one desired or expected; "The voting process doesn't work as well as people thought"; "How does your idea work in practice?"; "This method doesn't work"; "The breaks of my new car act quickly"; "The medicine works only if you take it with a lot of water"
make for, wreak, bring, work, play - cause to happen or to occur as a consequence; "I cannot work a miracle"; "wreak havoc"; "bring comments"; "play a joke"; "The rain brought relief to the drought-stricken area"
bring home the bacon, deliver the goods, succeed, win, come through - attain success or reach a desired goal; "The enterprise succeeded"; "We succeeded in getting tickets to the show"; "she struggled to overcome her handicap and won"
8.act - be engaged in an activity, often for no particular purpose other than pleasureact - be engaged in an activity, often for no particular purpose other than pleasure
play - be at play; be engaged in playful activity; amuse oneself in a way characteristic of children; "The kids were playing outside all day"; "I used to play with trucks as a little girl"
drive around - drive without any particular aim; "we were driving around in the countryside on a fine Sunday morning"
walk around - walk randomly; "We were walking around in the neighborhood to see whether we could find an open drugstore"
9.act - behave unnaturally or affectedlyact - behave unnaturally or affectedly; "She's just acting"
behave, act, do - behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself; "You should act like an adult"; "Don't behave like a fool"; "What makes her do this way?"; "The dog acts ferocious, but he is really afraid of people"
sham, feign, simulate, assume - make a pretence of; "She assumed indifference, even though she was seething with anger"; "he feigned sleep"
10.act - perform on a stage or theateract - perform on a stage or theater; "She acts in this play"; "He acted in `Julius Caesar'"; "I played in `A Christmas Carol'"
dramatic art, dramaturgy, theater, theatre, dramatics - the art of writing and producing plays
perform - give a performance (of something); "Horowitz is performing at Carnegie Hall tonight"; "We performed a popular Gilbert and Sullivan opera"
play - perform on a certain location; "The prodigy played Carnegie Hall at the age of 16"; "She has been playing on Broadway for years"
play - be performed or presented for public viewing; "What's playing in the local movie theater?"; "`Cats' has been playing on Broadway for many years"
act, play, represent - play a role or part; "Gielgud played Hamlet"; "She wants to act Lady Macbeth, but she is too young for the role"; "She played the servant to her husband's master"
stooge - act as the stooge; "His role was to stooge for the popular comedian"
pantomime, mime - act out without words but with gestures and bodily movements only; "The acting students mimed eating an apple"
ham, ham it up, overact, overplay - exaggerate one's acting
underact, underplay - act (a role) with great restraint
act - be suitable for theatrical performance; "This scene acts well"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

act

verb
1. do something, perform, move, function, go about, conduct yourself, undertake something I have no reason to doubt that the bank acted properly.
2. behave, react, go about, acquit yourself, bear yourself, comport yourself a gang of youths who were acting suspiciously
3. work, serve, operate, function, be employed, do business, have a job, earn a living He acted as both ship's surgeon and as chaplain to the men.
4. play, seem to be, pose as, pretend to be, posture as, imitate, sham, feign, characterize, enact, personify, impersonate, play the part of They were just acting tough.
5. perform, be an actor, be an actress, tread the boards (informal), mimic, mime She told her parents of her desire to act.
noun
3. law, bill, measure, resolution, decree, statute, ordinance, enactment, edict an Act of Parliament
4. performance, show, turn, production, routine, presentation, gig (informal), sketch Numerous bands are playing, as well as comedy acts.
act for someone stand in for, serve, represent, replace, substitute for, cover for, take the place of, fill in for, deputize for, function in place of Because we travel so much, we asked a broker to act for us.
act on or upon something
1. obey, follow, carry out, observe, embrace, execute, comply with, heed, conform to, adhere to, abide by, yield to, act upon, be ruled by, act in accordance with, do what is expected A patient will usually listen to the doctor's advice and act on it.
2. affect, change, influence, impact, transform, alter, modify The drug acts very fast on the central nervous system.
act up
1. misbehave, carry on, cause trouble, mess about, be naughty, horse around (informal), give trouble, piss about (taboo slang), piss around (taboo slang), give someone grief (Brit. & S. African), give bother I could hear him acting up downstairs.
2. malfunction, go wrong, break down, be faulty, stop, stop working, conk out (informal), go phut (informal), pack up (informal), play up (Brit. informal) The machine was acting up again.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

act

noun
1. The process of doing:
2. Something done:
3. The formal product of a legislative or judicial body:
4. A short theatrical piece within a larger production:
5. A display of insincere behavior:
verb
1. To conduct oneself in a specified way:
2. To behave affectedly or insincerely or take on a false or misleading appearance of:
3. To react in a specified way:
4. To perform the duties of another:
5. To play the part of:
6. To produce on the stage.Also used with out:
phrasal verb
act up
1. To behave in a rowdy, improper, or unruly fashion:
Informal: cut up, horse around.
2. To work improperly due to mechanical difficulties:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
عَمَـلفَصِل تَرْفِيهِيفَصِل فِي مَسْرَحِيَّهفِعْلقَانُون
čindějstvíhrátjednatkonat
handlespillehandlingoptrædeagere
agiaktori
näytellätekotoimiavaikuttaanäytös
činčinitiglumiti
eljátszikfelvonás
aîhafast, geraathöfnhegîa sérleikaleikòáttur
演じる行動する行為
연기하다행동행동하다
aktoriusapsimestibedarantisdirbtieinantis pareigas
cēliensdarbībadarbotiesizturētieslikums
číslodejstvorokovať
dejanjeigratinadomeščatitočkaukrepati
handlingspelaaktdådhandla
แสดงกระทำการกระทำ
diễnhành động

act

[ækt]
A. N
1. (= deed) → acto m, acción f
to catch sb in the actsorprender a algn en el acto
I was in the act of writing to himjustamente le estaba escribiendo
2. (Parl) → ley f
3. (Theat) (= division) → acto m; (= performance) → número m
it's a hard or tough act to followes muy difícil de igualar
to get into or in on the actintroducirse en el asunto, lograr tomar parte
to get one's act togetherorganizarse, arreglárselas
4. (fig) (= pretence) → cuento m, teatro m
to put on an actfingir, hacer teatro
B. VT (Theat) [+ play] → representar
to act the part of (lit) → hacer el papel de
he really acted the part (fig) → la verdad es que daba el papel
to act the foolhacerse el tonto
C. VI
1. (= perform) (Theat) → hacer teatro (Cine) → hacer cine
I acted in my youthde joven fui actor
she's away acting in the provincesestá actuando en provincias
to act in a filmtener un papel en una película
have you ever acted?¿has actuado alguna vez?, ¿tienes experiencia como actor?
who's acting in it?¿quién actúa?
2. (= pretend) he's only actinglo está fingiendo (nada más)
to act illfingirse enfermo
see also stupid
3. (= behave) → actuar, comportarse
he is acting strangelyestá actuando or se está comportando de una manera rara
she acted as if she was unwellactuaba or se comportaba como si estuviera enferma
4. (= take action) → obrar, tomar medidas
to act with cautionobrar con precaución
he acted to stop ittomó medidas para impedirlo
now is the time to acthay que ponerse en acción ahora mismo
he declined to actse negó a actuar
he acted for the besthizo lo que mejor le parecía
5. (= work) he was acting as ambassadorhacía de embajador
acting in my capacity as chairmanen mi calidad de presidente
to act for sbrepresentar a algn
6. (= function) [thing] → funcionar
to act as sthservir de algo
it acts as a deterrentsirve para disuadir, sirve de disuasión
it acts as a safety valvefunciona como válvula de seguridad
7. (= take effect) [drug] → surtir efecto, actuar
the medicine is slow to actla medicina tarda en surtir efecto or actuar
it acts by stimulating the immune systemactúa estimulando el sistema inmunológico
D. CPD act of contrition Nacto m de contrición
act of faith Nacto m de fe
act of folly Nlocura f
act of God N(caso m de) fuerza f mayor
we're not insured against acts of Godno estamos asegurados en casos de fuerza mayor or no estamos asegurados contra fuerzas mayores
act of justice Nacto m de justicia
Act of Parliament Nley f (aprobada por el Parlamento)
act of treason Ntraición f
an act of treasonuna traición
act of war Nacción f de guerra
the Acts of the Apostles NPLlos Hechos de los Apóstoles
act on VI + PREP = act upon
act out VT + ADVrepresentar
to act out a macabre drama (fig) → representar (hasta el final) un drama macabro
she is given to acting out her fantasiestiene tendencia a hacer vivir sus fantasías en la realidad
act up VI + ADV [person] → portarse mal; [knee, back, injury] → molestar, doler; [machine] → fallar, estropearse
act upon VI + PREP
1. [+ advice, suggestion] → seguir; [+ order] → obedecer
to act upon the evidenceobrar de acuerdo con los hechos
2. (= affect) → afectar (a)
the drug acts upon the brainla droga afecta al cerebro
ACT OF PARLIAMENT
A una ley ya aprobada por el Parlamento británico se la denomina Act of Parliament. Antes, cuando todavía es un proyecto de ley (bill), puede ser modificado tanto por la Cámara de los Comunes como por la de los Lores. Si ambas cámaras lo aprueban, se envía al monarca para que dé su aprobación (Royal Assent), aunque esto es una mera formalidad. Tras ello la ley ya es oficialmente un Act of Parliament, y pasa a formar parte de la legislación británica, reemplazando cualquier ley consuetudinaria (common law) que hubiera sobre ese asunto.
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

act

[ˌeɪsiːˈtiː]
n
(= action) → acte m
an act of kindness → un acte de gentillesse
an act of sabotage → un sabotage
in the act of doing sth → en train de faire qch
to catch sb in the act → prendre qn sur le fait, prendre qn en flagrant délit
to catch sb in the act of doing sth → surprendre qn en train de faire qch
(= part of theatre play) → acte m
in the first act → au premier acte
(= performance, entertainment routine) → numéro m
a comedy act → un numéro de comédie
to get one's act together → se reprendre en main
to clean up one's act → s'acheter une conduite
to get in on the act → emboîter le pas
(= pretence) → cinéma m
It's only an act → C'est du cinéma.
(POLITICS) (= law) → loi f
vi
(= perform action) [person] → agir
The police acted quickly → La police a agi rapidement.
(= have a particular rôle or job) to act as sth → servir de qch
She acts as his interpreter → Elle lui sert d'interprète.
It acts as a deterrent
BUT Cela a un effet dissuasif.
to act for sb, to act on behalf of sb [lawyer] → représenter qn
acting in my capacity as chairman, I ... → en ma qualité de président, je ...
[medicine, drug] → agir
(= behave) → agir
They were acting suspiciously → Ils agissaient d'une manière suspecte.
You're acting like a lunatic → Tu agis comme un fou.
to act as if ... → agir comme si ...
[actor] → jouer
He acts really well → Il joue vraiment bien.
(= pretend) → jouer la comédie
She's just acting → Elle joue la comédie.
vt
(in theatre) [+ role] → jouer, tenir
to act Hamlet (British)tenir le rôle d'Hamlet, jouer le rôle d'Hamlet
(= behave in certain way) → jouer
to act surprised → jouer la surprise
to act the innocent → faire l'innocent
to act the fool (British)faire l'idiot
to act the loving husband → jouer le mari amoureux
act on
vt fus
to act on sth → agir sur la base de qch
The police are acting on information received last night → La police agit sur la base de renseignements reçus la nuit dernière.
act out
vt sep
[+ event] → raconter en mimant
[+ fantasies] → réaliser
act up
vi
(= not work properly) → faire des caprices
The TV is acting up again → La télé fait encore des caprices.
(= mess around) [person] → faire l'idiot
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

act

n
(= deed, thing done)Tat f; (official, ceremonial) → Akt m; my first act was to phone himmeine erste Tat or mein Erstes war, ihn anzurufen; an act of mercyein Gnadenakt m; an act of Godeine höhere Gewalt no pl; an act of warkriegerische Aktion or Handlung; an act of folly/madnessein Akt mder Dummheit/des Wahnsinns; a small act of kindnesseine Freundlichkeit; Acts (Bibl) the Acts of the Apostles (Bibl) → die Apostelgeschichte ? faith a
(= process of doing) to be in the act of doing something(gerade) dabei sein, etw zu tun; to catch somebody in the actjdn auf frischer Tat or (sexually) → in flagranti ertappen; to catch/watch somebody in the act of doing somethingjdn dabei ertappen/beobachten, wie er etw tut
(Parl) → Gesetz nt; this was made illegal by an act of Parliament passed in 1976nach einem 1976 vom Parlament verabschiedeten Gesetz ist das verboten
(Theat) (of play, opera)Akt m; (= turn)Nummer f; a one-act playein Einakter m; a one-act operaeine Oper in einem Akt; to get into or in on the act (fig inf)mit von der Partie sein; how did he get in on the act? (inf)wie kommt es, dass er da mitmischt? (inf); he’s really got his act together (inf) (= is organized, efficient with sth)er hat die Sache wirklich im Griff; (in lifestyle etc) → er hat im Leben erreicht, was er wollte; get your act together!reiß dich doch mal zusammen!; to clean up one’s act (inf)sich zusammenreißen; she’ll be a hard or tough act to followman wird es ihr nur schwer gleichmachen; to be a class act (inf)Spitze sein (inf)
(fig: = pretence) → Theater nt, → Schau f (inf); it’s all an actdas ist alles nur Theater or Schau (inf); to put on an actTheater spielen
vt partspielen; play alsoaufführen; to act the innocentdie gekränkte Unschuld spielen
vi
(Theat) (= perform)spielen; (= to be an actor)schauspielern, Theater spielen; (fig)Theater spielen, schauspielern, markieren; to act on TVim Fernsehen auftreten or spielen; who’s acting in it?wer spielt darin?; he learned to acter nahm Schauspielunterricht; he should learn to act!er sollte erst mal richtig schauspielern lernen; … but she can’t act… aber sie kann nicht spielen or ist keine Schauspielerin; he’s only actinger tut (doch) nur so, er markiert or spielt (doch) nur; to act stupid/innocent etcsich dumm/unschuldig etc stellen, den Dummen/Unschuldigen etc spielen
(= function) (brakes etc)funktionieren; (drug)wirken; to act as …wirken als …; (= have function)fungieren als …; (person)das Amt des/der … übernehmen, fungieren als …; acting in my capacity as chairmanin meiner Eigenschaft als Vorsitzender; it acts as a deterrentdas wirkt abschreckend; to act for or on behalf of somebodyjdn vertreten
(= behave)sich verhalten; act like a man!sei ein Mann!; she acted as if or as though she was hurt/surprised etcsie tat so, als ob sie verletzt/überrascht etc wäre; he acts like or as though he owns the place (inf)er tut so, als ob der Laden ihm gehört (inf)
(= take action)handeln; he acted to stop iter unternahm etwas or Schritte, um dem ein Ende zu machen; the police couldn’t actdie Polizei konnte nichts unternehmen
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

act

[ækt]
1. vi
a. (take action) → agire
he acted to stop it → è intervenuto per fermarlo
b. (function, thing, person) to act asfungere da, fare da; (drug) → agire
he acts as my assistant → mi fa da assistente
acting in my capacity as chairman, I ... → in qualità di presidente, io...
it acts as a deterrent → serve da deterrente
to act for sb → agire in nome or per conto di qn
who is acting for the defendant? → chi è l'avvocato difensore?
c. (behave) → comportarsi
to act like a fool → fare lo/a stupido/a, comportarsi come uno/a stupido/a
she acted as if she was upset → si era mostrata contrariata
d. (Theatre, Cine) → recitare
he's only acting → sta solo facendo finta or recitando
2. vt (play) → rappresentare, mettere in scena; (part) → recitare, interpretare
to act Hamlet → recitare la parte di Amleto
to act the fool (fig) → fare lo/a stupido/a or il/la cretino/a
3. n
a. (deed) → atto
an act of kindness → un atto di gentilezza
an act of folly → una pazzia, una follia
I was in the act of writing to him → stavo (proprio) scrivendo a lui
to catch sb in the act → cogliere qn in flagrante or sul fatto
I caught him in the act of stealing → l'ho sorpreso a rubare
b. (also act of Parliament) → legge f
c. (Theatre) (of play) → atto; (in circus, music-hall) → numero (fig) (pretence) → scena, messinscena
it's only an act → è tutta scena, è solo una messinscena
act on act upon vi + prep (advice) → seguire, agire in base a; (order, instructions) → agire in base a, eseguire
act out vt (event) → ricostruire; (fantasies) → mettere in atto
act up vi + adv (fam) (person) → fare i capricci; (injury) → farsi sentire; (machine) → fare degli scherzi
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

act

(ӕkt) verb
1. to do something. It's time the government acted to lower taxes.
2. to behave. He acted foolishly at the meeting.
3. to perform (a part) in a play. He has acted (the part of Romeo) in many theatres; I thought he was dying, but he was only acting (= pretending).
noun
1. something done. Running away is an act of cowardice; He committed many cruel acts.
2. (often with capital) a law. Acts of Parliament.
3. a section of a play. `Hamlet' has five acts.
4. an entertainment. an act called `The Smith Family'.
acting adjective
temporarily carrying out the duties of. He is acting president of the society.
ˈactorfeminine also ˈactress noun
a performer in a play.
act as
to do the work or duties of. He acts as head of department when his boss is away.
act on
1. to do something following the advice etc of someone. I am acting on the advice of my lawyer.
2. to have an effect on. Certain acids act on metal.
act on behalf of / act for
to do something for (someone else); to act as the representative of (someone). My lawyer is acting on my behalf; He is also acting on behalf of my mother; She is acting for the headmaster in his absence.
in the act (of)
at the exact moment (of doing something). He was caught in the act (of stealing my car).
put on an act
to pretend. I thought she had hurt herself but she was only putting on an act.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

act

فِعْل, يَفْعَلُ, يـُمَثِّلُ čin, hrát, jednat handle, handling, spille Akt, handeln, schauspielen ενεργώ, παίζω, πράξη acto, actuar näytellä, teko, toimia acte, agir, jouer čin, činiti, glumiti agire, atto, recitare 演じる, 行動する, 行為 연기하다, 행동, 행동하다 acteren, handelen, handeling gjerning, handle, spille czyn, działać, grać ato, atuar действие, действовать, играть роль handla, handling, spela แสดง, กระทำ, การกระทำ hareket, harekete geçmek, rol diễn, hành động 动作, 行动, 表演
Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009

act

n. acto;
___ of Godfuerza mayor;
v. actuar, obrar, ejecutar, hacer algo; portarse;
do not ___ like thatno se porte así, no te portes así.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
Collins Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009

act

n acto; vi (persona) comportarse; (un medicamento) funcionar, actuar; intermediate-acting de acción intermedia; fast-acting (fam) de acción rápida; long-acting de acción prolongada; rapid-acting de acción rápida; short-acting de acción corta; to — out (psych) expresar emociones o impulsos reprimidos
English-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
References in classic literature ?
But at a very early time the people of England began to act. And, strange as it may seem to us now, the earliest plays were acted by monks and took place in church.
In conformity with the Act of Congress of the United States entitled, "An Act for the encouragement of Learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times herein mentioned." And also to an Act, entitled, "an Act, supplementary to an Act, for the encouragement of Learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times herein mentioned, and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints." JAMES DILL, Clerk of the Southern District of New-York
There is no position which depends on clearer principles, than that every act of a delegated authority, contrary to the tenor of the commission under which it is exercised, is void.
"Lovers' Vows were at an end, and Lord and Lady Ravenshaw left to act My Grandmother by themselves.
For what greater nonsense can there be in connection with what we are now discussing than for an infant to appear in swaddling clothes in the first scene of the first act, and in the second a grown-up bearded man?
The act from Annapolis recommends the "appointment of commissioners to take into consideration the situation of the United States; to devise SUCH FURTHER PROVISIONS as shall appear to them necessary to render the Constitution of the federal government ADEQUATE TO THE EXIGENCIES OF THE UNION; and to report such an act for that purpose, to the United States in Congress assembled, as when agreed to by them, and afterwards confirmed by the legislature of every State, will effectually provide for the same."
Yet they felt that the true test of any Juliet is the balcony scene of the second act. They waited for that.
These three he calls the act, the content and the object.
"An altruistic act is an act performed for the welfare of others.
If an enemy kills an enemy, there is nothing to excite pity either in the act or the intention, --except so far as the suffering in itself is pitiful.
Oh, tell me, who was it first announced, who was it first proclaimed, that man only does nasty things because he does not know his own interests; and that if he were enlightened, if his eyes were opened to his real normal interests, man would at once cease to do nasty things, would at once become good and noble because, being enlightened and understanding his real advantage, he would see his own advantage in the good and nothing else, and we all know that not one man can, consciously, act against his own interests, consequently, so to say, through necessity, he would begin doing good?
"The Stamp Act," replied Grandfather, "was a law by which all deeds, bonds, and other papers of the same kind were ordered to be marked with the king's stamp; and without this mark they were declared illegal and void.