act

/ˈækt/

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Definitions

Noun
a legal document codifying the result of deliberations of a committee or society or legislative body
Noun
something that people do or cause to happen
Noun
a subdivision of a play or opera or ballet
Noun
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"
Noun
a manifestation of insincerity; "he put on quite an act for her benefit"
Verb
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"
Verb
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"
Verb
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"
Verb
discharge one''s duties; "She acts as the chair"; "In what capacity are you acting?"
Verb
pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind; "He acted the idiot"; "She plays deaf when the news are bad"
Verb
be suitable for theatrical performance; "This scene acts well"
Verb
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"
Verb
be engaged in an activity, often for no particular purpose other than pleasure
Verb
behave unnaturally or affectedly; "She''s just acting"
Verb
perform on a stage or theater; "She acts in this play"; "He acted in `Julius Caesar''"; "I played in `A Christmas Carol''"
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Antonyms

refrain
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More Specific Terms

abidance acquiring acquit act act as act involuntarily act on act out act reflexively act superior action activity actuation aggress alternate antagonise antagonize anticipate approach assay assessment assume assumption attack attempt backslap bank bear begin behave bend over backwards bluster break down bungle carry causation causing coact come close come forward come out come to the fore commit communicating communication comport condescend conduct contend continue cope counter counteract court create criticise criticize dally dare dawdle deal decree deign delivery departure deport derivation descend digging up discovery disinterment dispatch disposal disposition distribution disturb do well drive around edict effect effectuation egotrip egress egression emergence emote enact end up engage equalisation equalization essay evade exert exhumation fall over backwards feign festinate fetch up fiat find finish finish up flirt follow footle force foresee forestall forfeit forfeiture freeze frivol get around to get by getting go go about go ahead go along go off at half-cock go off half-cocked go on going going away grapple group action guard had best ham ham it up hasten hinderance hindrance hire hold back hold off hugger mugger hurry impersonate implementation inactivity interact interference interrupt jest joke judgement judgment keep land up leaning leaving legislative act legitimation leveling look sharp loosen up lord it over lose it lower oneself make make a point make as if make believe make bold make do make out make sure manage maneuver manoeuver manoeuvre menace mime misbehave misconduct misdemean mitsvah mitzvah motivating motivation move nonaccomplishment nonachievement nullity obstetrical delivery offer oppose optimise optimize order overact overplay pantomime parody participate partner pay back perform permissive waste perpetrate persist in piffle play play it by ear plow ahead portray presume pretend proceed proclamation production promulgation propulsion prosecute puff up pull pursue put on airs quack queen it over race rage ramp rampage react reciprocate recovery reenact rejection relax repay repeat rescript residence residency respond retrieval reward romance romanticize running away rush sacrifice satisfice satisfise sauce seek sentimentalise sentimentalize sentimentise sentimentize set about sham showstopper show-stopper simulate snap sneak solicit speech act stampede start statute stay step forward step to the fore step up stooge stoop stop stoppage stopper storm support surprise swagger swash swell take take care take over take part take time by the forelock take turns touch touching toy trifle try uncovering underact underplay use volunteer vulgarise vulgarize wait walk around wanton waste wear wearing wind up woo
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