About The Word Act
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Learn about the word Act to help solve your crossword puzzle. Discover Act definitions and meaning, origins, synonyms, related terms and more at the free Crossword Dictionary.
Act
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Act Definition And Meaning |
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What's The Definition Of Act?
[n] something that people do or cause to happen
[n] a legal document codifying the result of deliberations of a committee or society or legislative body [n] 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" [n] a subdivision of a play or opera or ballet [n] a manifestation of insincerity; "he put on quite an act for her benefit" [v] 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" [v] pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind; "He acted the idiot"; "She plays deaf when the news are bad" [v] discharge one's duties; "She acts as the chair"; "In what capacity are you acting?" [v] 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" [v] perform on a stage or theater; "She acts in this play"; "He acted in"Julius Caesar"; "I played in"A Christmas Carol" [v] behave unnaturally or affectedly; "She's just acting" [v] 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" [v] be engaged in an activity, often for no particular purpose other than pleasure [v] 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" [v] be suitable for theatrical performance; "This scene acts well" Synonyms | Synonyms for Act: behave | bit | dissemble | do | enactment | human action | human activity | move | number | play | pretend | represent | routine | turn Related Terms | Find terms related to Act: accomplish | accomplished fact | accomplishment | achieve | achievement | acquit | act | act a part | act as | act as foil | act out | acta | acting | action | actions | activism | activity | acts | address | adventure | affect | affectation | afterpiece | air | ape | appear | assume | barnstorm | be effective | be in action | be productive | bear | bearing | behave | behavior | behavior pattern | behavioral norm | behavioral science | bill | bit | blow | bluff | bring about | bring into being | bring to fruition | bylaw | canon | carriage | carry | cause | characterize | chaser | come out | comport | comportment | concurrent resolution | conduct | constitution | copy | counterfeit | coup | course | cover up | culture pattern | curtain | curtain call | curtain raiser | custom | dealings | decree | deed | demean | demeanor | deport | deportment | dictate | dictation | discourse | dissemble | dissimulate | divertimento | divertissement | do | doing | doings | edict | effectuate | effort | emote | emotionalize | employment | enact | enaction | enactment | endeavor | engineer | enterprise | epilogue | execute | exercise | exode | exodus | exploit | expository scene | fait accompli | fake | feat | feign | finale | folkway | form | formality | formula | formulary | four-flush | function | functioning | gammon | gest | gestures | get top billing | go | go on | goings-on | guise | hand | handiwork | have effect | have free play | have play | hoke act | impersonate | industrialize | institution | interlude | intermezzo | intermission | introduction | job | joint resolution | jus | law | lawmaking | legislation | legislature | let on | let on like | lex | maintien | make | make a pretense | make as if | make believe | make like | maneuver | manner | manners | masquerade | masquerade as | mass-produce | measure | method | methodology | methods | mien | militate | mime | mimic | misbehave | modus vivendi | motion | motions | move | movements | moves | number | observable behavior | occupation | officiate | operate | operation | operations | ordinance | ordonnance | overproduce | overt act | pantomime | pass for | passage | passing | patter | pattern | percolate | perform | performance | perk | personate | play | play a part | play possum | play the lead | playact | poise | port | portray | pose | pose as | posture | practice | praxis | prescript | prescription | presence | pretend | pretend to be | procedure | proceed | proceeding | process | produce | production | profess | prologue | put on | quit | react | realize | register | regulation | represent | res gestae | resolution | routine | rubric | rule | ruling | run | scene | serve | sham | shtick | simulate | sketch | skit | social science | song and dance | standing order | stand-up comedy act | star | statute | steal the show | step | stooge | striptease | stroke | stunt | style | swing | tactics | take | take effect | take off | thing | thing done | tick | tone | tour de force | transaction | tread the boards | troupe | turn | undertaking | upstage | volume-produce | way | way of life | ways | work | working | workings | works See Also | abidance | acquit | act involuntarily | act on | act out | act reflexively | act superior | act up | act up | act upon | action | activity | aggress | alternate | antagonise | antagonize | anticipate | approach | assay | assessment | assume | assumption | attack | attempt | backslap | ballet | bank | be | bear | begin | behave | bluster | break down | bungle | carry | carry on | coact | come close | come forward | come out | come through | come to the fore | commit | communicating | communication | comport | concert dance | condescend | conduct | contend | continue | cope | counter | counteract | court | create | criticise | criticize | dally | dally | dare | dawdle | deal | decree | deign | deport | descend | distribution | disturb | do well | drama | dramatic composition | dramatic work | drive around | edict | effect | egotrip | emote | enact | end up | engage | essay | evade | exert | expression | feign | festinate | fiat | finish | flirt | follow | follow up on | footle | force | foresee | forestall | forfeit | forfeiture | freeze | frivol | get around to | get by | go | go about | go ahead | go along | go on | grapple | group action | guard | had best | ham | hasten | hindrance | hold back | hold off | hugger mugger | hurry | impersonate | inactivity | influence | instrument | interact | interference | interrupt | jest | joke | judgement | judgment | keep | leaning | legal document | legal instrument | legislative act | legitimation | look sharp | loosen up | lord it over | lose it | lower oneself | make | make a point | make as if | make bold | make do | make out | make sure | manage | manifestation | menace | mime | misbehave | misconduct | misdemean | motivating | motivation | nonaccomplishment | nonachievement | offer | official document | opera | oppose | optimise | optimize | order | overact | overplay | pantomime | parody | participate | partner | pay back | perform | perform | performance | permissive waste | perpetrate | persist in | piffle | play | play | play it by ear | plow ahead | portray | presume to | proceed | proclamation | production | promulgation | prosecute | public presentation | puff up | pull | pursue | put on airs | quack | queen it over | race | rage | ramp | rampage | react | reciprocate | re-create | reenact | reflection | reflexion | rejection | relax | repay | repeat | rescript | residence | residency | respond | reward | romance | romanticize | rush | sacrifice | sauce | scene | seek | sentimentalise | sentimentalize | sentimentise | sentimentize | serve | set about | sham | show-stopper | simulate | sneak | solicit | speech act | spoof | stampede | start | statute | stay | step forward | step to the fore | step up | stooge | stooge | stoop | stop | stoppage | stopper | storm | succeed | support | surprise | swagger | swash | swell | take | take care | take over | take part | take time by the forelock | take turns | toy | toy | trifle | try | underact | underplay | use | volunteer | vulgarise | vulgarize | wait | walk around | wanton | waste | wear | wearing | win | wind up | woo | work Act In Webster's Dictionary \Act\ ([a^]kt), n. [L. actus, fr. agere to drive, do: cf. F.
acte. See {Agent}.]
1. That which is done or doing; the exercise of power, or the
effect, of which power exerted is the cause; a
performance; a deed.
That best portion of a good man's life, His little,
nameless, unremembered acts Of kindness and of love.
--Wordsworth.
Hence, in specific uses:
(a) The result of public deliberation; the decision or
determination of a legislative body, council, court of
justice, etc.; a decree, edit, law, judgment, resolve,
award; as, an act of Parliament, or of Congress.
(b) A formal solemn writing, expressing that something has
been done. --Abbott.
(c) A performance of part of a play; one of the principal
divisions of a play or dramatic work in which a
certain definite part of the action is completed.
(d) A thesis maintained in public, in some English
universities, by a candidate for a degree, or to show
the proficiency of a student.
2. A state of reality or real existence as opposed to a
possibility or possible existence. [Obs.]
The seeds of plants are not at first in act, but in
possibility, what they afterward grow to be.
--Hooker.
3. Process of doing; action. In act, in the very doing; on
the point of (doing). ``In act to shoot.'' --Dryden.
This woman was taken . . . in the very act. --John
viii. 4.
{Act of attainder}. (Law) See {Attainder}.
{Act of bankruptcy} (Law), an act of a debtor which renders
him liable to be adjudged a bankrupt.
{Act of faith}. (Ch. Hist.) See {Auto-da-F['e]}.
{Act of God} (Law), an inevitable accident; such
extraordinary interruption of the usual course of events
as is not to be looked for in advance, and against which
ordinary prudence could not guard.
{Act of grace}, an expression often used to designate an act
declaring pardon or amnesty to numerous offenders, as at
the beginning of a new reign.
{Act of indemnity}, a statute passed for the protection of
those who have committed some illegal act subjecting them
to penalties. --Abbott.
{Act in pais}, a thing done out of court (anciently, in the
country), and not a matter of record.
Syn: See {Action}.
\Act\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Acted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Acting}.] [L. actus, p. p. of agere to drive, lead, do; but influenced by E. act, n.] 1. To move to action; to actuate; to animate. [Obs.] Self-love, the spring of motion, acts the soul. --Pope. 2. To perform; to execute; to do. [Archaic] That we act our temporal affairs with a desire no greater than our necessity. --Jer. Taylor. Industry doth beget by producing good habits, and facility of acting things expedient for us to do. --Barrow. Uplifted hands that at convenient times Could act extortion and the worst of crimes. --Cowper. 3. To perform, as an actor; to represent dramatically on the stage. 4. To assume the office or character of; to play; to personate; as, to act the hero. 5. To feign or counterfeit; to simulate. With acted fear the villain thus pursued. --Dryden. {To act a part}, to sustain the part of one of the characters in a play; hence, to simulate; to dissemble. {To act the part of}, to take the character of; to fulfill the duties of. \Act\, v. i. 1. To exert power; to produce an effect; as, the stomach acts upon food. 2. To perform actions; to fulfill functions; to put forth energy; to move, as opposed to remaining at rest; to carry into effect a determination of the will. He hangs between, in doubt to act or rest. --Pope. 3. To behave or conduct, as in morals, private duties, or public offices; to bear or deport one's self; as, we know not why he has acted so. 4. To perform on the stage; to represent a character. To show the world how Garrick did not act. --Cowper. {To act as} or {for}, to do the work of; to serve as. {To act on}, to regulate one's conduct according to. {To act up to}, to equal in action; to fulfill in practice; as, he has acted up to his engagement or his advantages. |
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