act

noun14

1. •
   a single thing that someone does, such as helping a friend or breaking a law

   • That best portion of a good man's life, / His little, nameless, unremembered acts / Of kindness and of love. — 1798
2. •
   Something done once and for all, as distinguished from a work.
3. •
   A product of a legislative body, a statute.
4. •
   A regulation (see Usage notes).
5. •
   A division of a theatrical performance.

   • The pivotal moment in the play was in the first scene of the second act.
6. •
   A performer or performers in a show.

   • Which act did you prefer? The soloist or the band?
7. •
   The process of doing something.

   • He was caught in the act of stealing.
8. •
   A display of behaviour.
9. •
   A display of behaviour meant to deceive.

   • He said, "I'm just curious, is this for real or just an act? / Can't tell if you love or hate me, never met someone like that" — 2023
10. •
    Any organized activity.

    • The minute you let it be known you're planning a sales campaign everybody wants to get into the act. — 1934
11. •
    (In the United States) A legislative proposal, a bill that has not yet become law.

    • Under current law, employers can drag out the union election process... Under the PRO Act, workers and the NLRB set union election procedures. The employer is not involved. — 2021
12. •
    A formal or official record of something done.
13. •
    A thesis maintained in public, in some English universities, by a candidate for a degree, or to show the proficiency of a student.
14. •
    (no longer used) Actuality.

    • The seeds of plants are not at first in act, but in possibility, what they afterward grow to be. — 1594

verb14

1. •
   To do something.

   • If you don’t act soon, you will be in trouble.
2. •
   To perform a theatrical role.

   • I started acting at the age of eleven in my local theatre.
3. •
   Of a play: to be acted out (well or badly).
4. •
   To play (a role).

   • He’s been acting Shakespearean leads since he was twelve.
5. •
   To behave in a certain manner for an indefinite length of time.

   • A dog which acts aggressively is likely to bite.
   • I believe that Bill’s stuck-up because of the way that he acts.
6. •
   To convey an appearance of being.

   • He acted unconcerned so the others wouldn’t worry.
7. •
   To feign.

   • He acted the angry parent, but was secretly amused.
8. •
   To have an effect (on).

   • High-pressure oxygen acts on the central nervous system and may cause convulsions or death.
   • Gravitational force acts on heavy bodies.
9. •
   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.

   • This group acts on the circle, so it can't be left-orderable!
10. •
    To do something that causes a change binding on the doer.
11. •
    To carry out work as a legal representative in relation to a particular legal matter.

    • A lawyer cannot act until they have been formally instructed by their client.
12. •
    (no longer used) To do (something); to perform.

    • that we act our temporal affairs with a desire no greater than our necessity — 1651
13. •
    (no longer used) To move to action; to actuate; to animate.

    • Self-love, the spring of motion, acts the soul. — 1733
14. •
    (Scotland, no longer used) To enact; to decree.

adverb1

1. •
   (Internet) Clipping of actually.

   • james did u act enjoy that juice? looked like u were gagging icl

adjective3

1. •
   Abbreviation of acting.
2. •
   Abbreviation of actual.
3. •
   Abbreviation of active.

noun3

1. •
   Abbreviation of actor.
2. •
   Abbreviation of activities.
3. •
   Abbreviation of actuary.

noun3

1. •
   An instance of a certain standardized college admissions test in the United States, originally called the American College Test.
2. •
   Initialism of the Australian Capital Territory: a federal territory of Australia.

   • Osteoporosis Australia is calling for the 'no hat, no play' policy in school playgrounds to be reassessed in the ACT and Tasmania, because children are not getting enough sunlight. — 2006
3. •
   Acronym of acceptance and commitment therapy.