act en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
- ăkt (Australia, Received-Pronunciation, US)
- (General-American) audio
- ăkt (British, Canada, Northern-England, Southern, Standard)
- /æk/ (African-American-Vernacular-English)
- (US) audio
- /ækt/ (British, Canada, Northern-England, Southern, Standard)
- [akt] (British, Canada, Northern-England, Southern, Standard)
- [ækt] (Australia, Received-Pronunciation, US)
- /ækt/ (Australia, Received-Pronunciation, US)
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti Proto-Italic *agō Latin agō Latin ācta Old French actbor. Middle English acte English act From Middle English acte, from Old French acte, from Latin ācta (“register of events”), plural of āctum (“decree, law”), from agere (“to do, to act”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti. Compare German Akte (“file”). Partially displaced deed, from Old English dǣd (“act, deed”).
Meanings
-
(countable) Something done, a deed.
That best portion of a good man's life, / His little, nameless, unremembered acts / Of kindness and of love.
1798, William Wordsworth, Lines:an act of goodwill
-
(obsolete, uncountable) Actuality.
The seeds of plants are not at first in act, but in possibility, what they afterward grow to be.
[1594], Richard Hooker, edited by J[ohn] S[penser], Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], London: […] Iohn Windet, […], →OCLC, (please specify the page):
- (countable, uncountable) Something done once and for all, as distinguished from a work.
-
(countable) A product of a legislative body, a statute.
But was it responsible governance to pass the Longitude Act without other efforts to protect British seamen? Or might it have been subterfuge—a disingenuous attempt to shift attention away from the realities of their life at sea.
2012 March 14, William E. Carter, Merri Sue Carter, “The British Longitude Act Reconsidered”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, page 87:
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(countable) (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 February 4, Celine McNicholas, Margaret Poydock, Lynn Rhinehart, “How the PRO Act restores workers' rights to unionize”, in Economic Policy Institute:
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(countable, uncountable) The process of doing something.
He was caught in the act of stealing.
- (countable) A formal or official record of something done.
-
(countable) A division of a theatrical performance.
“H'm !” he said, “so, so—it is a tragedy in a prologue and three acts. I am going down this afternoon to see the curtain fall for the third time on what […] will prove a good burlesque ; but it all began dramatically enough. It was last Saturday […] that two boys, playing in the little spinney just outside Wembley Park Station, came across three large parcels done up in American cloth. […]”
1904–1905, Baroness Orczy [i.e., Emma Orczy], “The Lisson Grove Mystery”, in The Case of Miss Elliott, London: T[homas] Fisher Unwin, published 1905, →OCLC; republished as popular edition, London: Greening & Co., 1909, OCLC 11192831, quoted in The Case of Miss Elliott (ebook no. 2000141h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg of Australia, February 2020:The pivotal moment in the play was in the first scene of the second act.
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(countable) A performer or performers in a show.
Which act did you prefer? The soloist or the band?
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(countable) Any organized activity.
The minute you let it be known you're planning a sales campaign everybody wants to get into the act.
1934, Babette Hughes, One egg: a farce in one act, page 46:
- (countable) A display of behaviour.
-
(countable) A display of behaviour. ▸ 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 September 15, Tate McRae, Amy Allen, Jasper Harris, Ryan Tedder, “Greedy”, in Think Later, performed by Tate McRae:to put on an act
- (countable, uncountable) A thesis maintained in public, in some English universities, by a candidate for a degree, or to show the proficiency of a student.
-
(abbreviation, alt-of, countable, ellipsis, uncountable) Ellipsis of act of parliament.
alt of act of parliament
- (European-Union, countable, uncountable) A regulation (see Usage notes).
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| acts | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
balancing act · third-act breakup · conjugal act · juridical act · act of darkness · act of independent significance · caught in the act · support act · uniform act · read someone the riot act · act of god · act of parliament · speech act · double act · drag act · Marchman Act · class act · get in on the act · sad act · have one's act together · novelty act · Enabling Act · model act · nuptial act · acteme · enabling act · nonact · act of attainder · keep an act · give someone the rush act · cyberact · act of settlement · Dutch act · generative act · illocutionary act · act of God · juggling act · stamp act · Hague Invasion Act · one-act · sister act · act of terrorism · actless · hard act to follow · multiact · get one's act together · act of sederunt · revenue act · Acts of the Apostles · coact · vanishing act · juristic act · act of war · act of adjournal · warm-up act · final act · disappearing act · in the act · act of Congress · random act of kindness · clean up one's act · second act · tribute act · Baker Act · anteact · sexual act · postact · sex act · tough act to follow · acter · get into the act · act of faith
Descendants
Holonyms
Meronyms
Relateds
agency · active · agent · action
Synonyms
deed (something done) · pretense (display of behavior) · statute (product of a legislative body)
Translations (320)
bg акт (drama: division of theatrical performance) · yue 幕 (drama: division of theatrical performance) · ko 법령 (statute) · da handling (deed) · de Tat (deed) · fr acte (formal record of something done) · pl ustawa (statute) · kmr hebûn (state of existence) · tr yasa (statute) · ja 法令 (statute) · kw akt (deed) · da dåd (deed) · kmr bîrname\ (formal record of something done) · mk чин (deed) · ky кыймыл (deed) · cs skutek (process of doing) · es acto (process of doing) · sk zákon (statute) · pl akt (statute) · ro lege (statute) · sk skutok (process of doing) · si අංකය (drama: division of theatrical performance) · bg постъпка (process of doing) · ee dɔwɔwɔ (formal record of something done) · vi hành vi (deed) · el πράξη (deed) · fa کار (deed) · be учы́нак (deed) · ru де́йствие (drama: division of theatrical performance) · sv akt (drama: division of theatrical performance) · cs čin (deed) · bg деяние (process of doing) · ms pura-pura (display of behaviour) · te నాటకం లోని భాగం (drama: division of theatrical performance) · ms اکتا (statute) · sw tenda (process of doing) · ba эш (deed) · fi säädös (statute) · tl batas (statute) · bg зако́н (statute) · mi manga (drama: division of theatrical performance) · vi lớp (drama: division of theatrical performance) · ee dɔwɔwɔ (deed) · sv dåd (deed) · eo ago (deed) · sh чи̑н (deed) · de Akt (drama: division of theatrical performance) · ar عَمَل (deed) · ru де́йствие (deed) · got 𐍅𐌰𐌿𐍂𐍃𐍄𐍅𐌴𐌹 (deed) · te చట్టం (statute) · id perbuatan (deed) · enm acte (formal record of something done) · he חק (statute) · sv handling (deed) · pt ata (formal record of something done) · ta பதிவு (formal record of something done) · fr acte (drama: division of theatrical performance) · sq kryrje (deed) · cmn 法令 (statute) · cmn 法例 (statute) · ms tindakan (deed) · ru докуме́нт (formal record of something done) · it scena (display of behaviour) · sl zakon (statute) · kk перде (drama: division of theatrical performance) · pon ak (drama: division of theatrical performance) · ms babak (drama: division of theatrical performance) · hi नाटक (drama: division of theatrical performance) · fi suorittaminen (process of doing) · io ago (deed) · pt ação (process of doing) · ja 幕 (drama: division of theatrical performance) · ms lakon (process of doing) · sq veprimtaria (display of behaviour) · nl handeling (deed) · ca acte (deed) · he אקט (process of doing) · lb Handlung (deed) · sh dejstvo (deed) · it atto (drama: division of theatrical performance) · ru акт (deed) · ee dɔwɔwɔ (process of doing) · pl działanie (process of doing) · pt ato (drama: division of theatrical performance) · mk постапка (deed) · si නාට්යයෙහි අංකය (drama: division of theatrical performance) · nl daad (deed) · ta சட்டம் (statute) · vo dun (deed) · la āctus (deed) · sk čin (process of doing) · et vaatus (drama: division of theatrical performance) · de Handeln (display of behaviour) · pl akt (formal record of something done) · it legge (statute) · kmr qanûn (statute) · nl akte (drama: division of theatrical performance) · fi pöytäkirja (formal record of something done) · ast actu (deed) · sl dejanje (drama: division of theatrical performance) · ru акт (drama: division of theatrical performance) · cy actio (drama: division of theatrical performance) · es hecho (formal record of something done) · sw tenda (formal record of something done) · pl akt (drama: division of theatrical performance) · fi tekeminen (process of doing) · gd gnìomh (process of doing) · pt ato (deed) · uk ді́яння (deed) · enm acte (statute) · enm acte (process of doing) · be зако́н (statute) · kmr kirin (deed) · gd achd (statute) · ml പ്രവൃത്തി (deed) · lb Programm (display of behaviour) · uk акт (deed) · ru акт (formal record of something done) · ang dǣd (deed) · hi व्यवहार (display of behaviour) · sa अङ्क (drama: division of theatrical performance) · sk divadlo (display of behaviour) · ru притво́рство (display of behaviour) · hy օրենք (statute) · he פעולה \ פְּעֻלּה (deed) · uk ді́я (drama: division of theatrical performance) · hu cselekvés (process of doing) · bg де́йствие (deed) · sk skutok (deed) · sk čin (deed) · vo dunam (deed) · hy արարք (deed) · dsb jadnanje (display of behaviour) · nds-de Akt (drama: division of theatrical performance) · el πράξη (display of behaviour) · nl handeling (process of doing) · tr perde (drama: division of theatrical performance) · sw kitendo (deed) · da akt (drama: division of theatrical performance) · txb yamalläññe (deed) · ru посту́пок (deed) · te చర్య (process of doing) · mi ture (statute) · ms perbuatan (deed) · tg қонун (statute) · cmn 作為 /作为 (deed) · lb Akt (drama: division of theatrical performance) · de Akt (deed) · uk акт (drama: division of theatrical performance) · id tindakan (deed) · lb Akt (process of doing) · fr action (process of doing) · fi teko (process of doing) · ta செயல் (process of doing) · el πράξη (process of doing) · ml ചെയ്തി (deed) · hy գործողություն (drama: division of theatrical performance) · pt ato (display of behaviour) · sh дејство (deed) · sv handling (process of doing) · nl wet (statute) · gd gnìomh (deed) · fa قانون (statute) · grc πρᾶγμα (deed) · sa कार्य (deed) · es acto (deed) · hu cselekvés (deed) · ko 막 (drama: division of theatrical performance) · lb Dot (deed) · ko 행동 (deed) · az iş (deed) · ta பகுதி (drama: division of theatrical performance) · az hərəkət (deed) · th องก์ (drama: division of theatrical performance) · ja 行為 (deed) · kmr kar (deed) · de Handlung (process of doing) · ba ғәмәл (deed) · scn attu (deed) · ru де́йствие (process of doing) · az əməl (deed) · hi कृत्य (deed) · ky иш (deed) · sl dejanje (process of doing) · uk вчи́нок (deed) · lv cēliens (drama: division of theatrical performance) · ro act (deed) · hu felvonás (drama: division of theatrical performance) · de Akte (formal record of something done) · id perlakuan (deed) · sk dejstvo (drama: division of theatrical performance) · ru де́ло (deed) · be акт (deed) · hy գործողություն (deed) · te పని (deed) · lb Nummer (display of behaviour) · ru зако́н (statute) · be акт (drama: division of theatrical performance) · cs čin (process of doing) · de Akt (process of doing) · tl gawa (process of doing) · te క్రియ (process of doing) · vec ato (deed) · ota حركت (deed) · fi laki (statute) · si පනත (statute) · hy գործողություն (process of doing) · fr acte (display of behaviour) · et tegu (deed) · kmr xebat (deed) · gl auto (deed) · be дзе́янне (drama: division of theatrical performance) · sl dejanje (deed) · kmr perde (drama: division of theatrical performance) · hi काम (deed) · hi कार्य (deed) · ru акт (process of doing) · pt lei (statute) · grc μέρος (drama: division of theatrical performance) · cs dějství (drama: division of theatrical performance) · nb akt (drama: division of theatrical performance) · fr loi (statute) · kw parth (deed) · it atto (deed) · zdj sehemu (drama: division of theatrical performance) · fur at (deed) · ja 行動 (deed) · hi कार्य (process of doing) · fr acte (process of doing) · pl czyn (deed) · kw gwrians (deed) · hi अधिनियम (formal record of something done) · fr acte (deed) · ky иш аракет (deed) · mk дејство (deed) · got 𐍄𐌰𐌿𐌹 (deed) · hi कृति (deed) · te చేత (deed) · or ଧାରା (statute) · he מַעֲשֶׂה (deed) · fi suoritus (process of doing) · ms akta (statute) · fi teko (deed) · de Handlung (deed) · de Auftreten (display of behaviour) · sq kryerje (process of doing) · kw ober (deed) · he מערכה (drama: division of theatrical performance) · cs zákon (statute) · hi कर्म (deed) · si ක්රියාව (deed) · el πράξη (drama: division of theatrical performance) · sc atu (deed) · kmr kirin (process of doing) · kmr perde (display of behaviour) · ta நடிப்பு (display of behaviour) · ta செயல் (deed) · sw sehemu (drama: division of theatrical performance) · lb Akt (deed) · el ενέργεια (statute) · el διάβημα (statute) · gl acto (drama: division of theatrical performance) · hu cselekedet (deed) · ko 행위 (deed) · hi अधिनियम (statute) · enm acte (deed) · pl akt (deed) · de Gesetz (statute) · lb Dossier (formal record of something done) · ar قَانُون (statute) · el πράξη (formal record of something done) · ast actu (drama: division of theatrical performance) · gd earrann (drama: division of theatrical performance) · sh čȋn (deed) · es acto (drama: division of theatrical performance) · cmn 行為 /行为 (deed) · ca acte (drama: division of theatrical performance) · fi olemassaolo (state of existence) · it atto (process of doing) · eo akto (drama: division of theatrical performance) · ru посту́пок (process of doing) · uk зако́н (statute) · bg докуме́нт (formal record of something done) · cy deddf (statute) · fr acte (state of existence) · ml അഭിനയം (display of behaviour) · sq veprim (deed) · sq krijimi (formal record of something done) · sk skutok (state of existence) · it messinscena (display of behaviour) · de Spiel (display of behaviour) · la acta (formal record of something done) · gl acto (deed) · pt ato (process of doing) · bg де́йствие (drama: division of theatrical performance) · id undang-undang (statute) · fi näytös (drama: division of theatrical performance) · oc acte (drama: division of theatrical performance) · cy act (deed) · no dåd (deed) · sk čin (state of existence) · aa abto (deed) · ru игра́ (display of behaviour) · kmr kiryar (deed) · oc acte (deed) · km ទង្វើ (deed) · sw tenda (state of existence) · cmn 幕 (drama: division of theatrical performance) · be дзе́янне (deed) · sw tenda (statute) · cs skutek (deed) · sq mbarim (process of doing) · it numero (drama: division of theatrical performance) · fi näytös (display of behaviour) · pt ato (state of existence) · ru де́яние (process of doing) · sq kriim (state of existence) · ky аракет (deed) · sw tenda (display of behaviour)