act
IPA: ˈækt
Root Word: ACT
noun
- (New Zealand politics) ACT New Zealand, a liberal conservative political party in New Zealand
- (countable) An instance of a certain standardized college admissions test in the United States, originally called the American College Test.
- (countable) Something done, a deed.
- (obsolete, uncountable) Actuality.
- (theology) Something done once and for all, as distinguished from a work.
- (law, countable) A product of a legislative body, a statute.
- The process of doing something.
- (countable) A formal or official record of something done.
- (countable, drama) A division of a theatrical performance.
- (countable) A performer or performers in a show.
- (countable) Any organized activity.
- (countable) A display of behaviour.
- A thesis maintained in public, in some English universities, by a candidate for a degree, or to show the proficiency of a student.
- (countable) A display of behaviour meant to deceive.
- Initialism of Australian Capital Territory, a federal territory of Australia. [A federal territory which is an enclave in southern New South Wales, south-eastern Australia, in which the country's capital, Canberra, is located.]
- Initialism of American College Test.
- Initialism of Association of Consumers and Taxpayers, a political party of New Zealand
- (uncountable) Acronym of acceptance and commitment therapy. [A form of psychological therapy based on acceptance and mindfulness strategies.]
- (law) Ellipsis of act of parliament. [A law which has received assent (royal, presidential or gubernatorial) after having been passed by the houses (or house) of a parliament.]
- Ellipsis of Act of Parliament.
verb
- (intransitive) To do something.
- (obsolete, transitive) To do (something); to perform.
- (intransitive) To perform a theatrical role.
- (intransitive) Of a play: to be acted out (well or badly).
- (intransitive) To behave in a certain manner for an indefinite length of time.
- (copulative) To convey an appearance of being.
- (intransitive) To do something that causes a change binding on the doer.
- (intransitive, construed with on or upon) To have an effect (on).
- (transitive) To play (a role).
- (transitive) To feign.
- (intransitive, law) To carry out work as a legal representative in relation to a particular legal matter.
- (intransitive, mathematics, construed with on or upon, of a group) To map via a homomorphism to a group of automorphisms (of).
- (obsolete, transitive) To move to action; to actuate; to animate.
- (obsolete, Scotland, transitive) To enact; to decree.
Advertisement
Examples of "act" in Sentences
- Wherefore if the mind should prefer a weak inclination to a strong one, _it would act against itself, and otherwise than it is disposed to act_.”
- Yes, if you consider the amusement in the abstract: but if you take it as _this human act_, the act is inordinate and evil in itself, or as it is elicited in the mind of the agent.
- Absolute -- all this begetting of Divine Children -- was in the nature of a single act rather than as a series of acts, if we may be permitted to speak of the manifestation as an _act_.
- 'Abortion is a racist, genocidal act' yahooBuzzArticleHeadline = '\'Abortion is a racist, genocidal act\' '; yahooBuzzArticleSummary =' Article: Info on the latest anti-abortion propaganda. '
- _acting_, His _essence_ being _to act_, for otherwise he might _never_ have acted, and the existence of the world would be an accident; for what should have, in that case, decided Him to act, after long inactivity?
- Or do we find, when we are engaged in an act of the will, that the mental stream contains only the familiar old elements of attention, perception, judgment, desire, purpose, etc., _all organized or set for the purpose of accomplishing or preventing some act_?
- As I consider it one of the most important qualifications in a judge to have the discernment I refer to, and as many are appointed judges, even at our national shows, _who never should have been appointed, and many act who never should act_, it ought to be put out of all doubt.
- So far as the Scriptures seem to suggest there is not a fresh act upon God's part at certain times in one's experience, but His wondrous love is such that there is _a continuous act_ -- a continuous flooding in of all the gracious power of His Spirit that the human conditions will admit of.
- My father is very anxious, I think, to act the play; my mother, to have it published before it is acted; and I sit and hear it discussed and praised and criticised, only longing (like a "silly wench," as my mother calls me when I confess as much to her) to see my father in his lovely dress and hear the _alarums of my fifth act_.
- Miss Brown, I'll give in, that you and Mr. Brown _do_ act up to your principles; you certainly _act_ as if you were willing to be damned '; -- and so do all those folks who will live on the blood and groans of the poor Africans, as the Doctor said; and I should think, by the way Newport people are making their money, that they were all pretty willing to go that way, -- though, whether it's for the glory of God, or not, I'm doubting.
Advertisement
Advertisement