performing

per·form

P0189400 (pər-fôrm′)v. per·formed, per·form·ing, per·forms v.tr.1. To begin and carry through to completion; do: The surgeon performed the operation.2. To take action in accordance with the requirements of; fulfill: perform one's contractual obligations.3. a. To enact (a feat or role) before an audience.b. To give a public presentation of; present: My theater group performed a three-act play.v.intr.1. To function or accomplish something as expected or required: a car that performs well on curves; workers not performing up to standard.2. To yield a return on investment: stocks that performed well.3. To portray a role or demonstrate a skill before an audience: The juggler performed atop a unicycle.4. To present a dramatic or musical work or other entertainment before an audience.

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[Middle English performen, from Anglo-Norman performer, from Old French parfornir : par-, intensive pref. (from Latin per-, per-) + fournir, to furnish; see furnish.]

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per·form′a·ble adj.per·form′er n.Synonyms: perform, execute, accomplish, achieve
These verbs signify to carry through to completion. To perform is to carry out an action, undertaking, or procedure, often with great skill or care. The ship's captain performed the wedding ceremony. Laser experiments are performed regularly in the laboratory.
Execute implies performing a task or putting something into effect in accordance with a plan or design: "To execute laws is a royal office; to execute orders is not to be a king" (Edmund Burke).
Accomplish connotes the successful completion of something, often of something that requires tenacity or talent: "Make one brave push and see what can be accomplished in a week" (Robert Louis Stevenson).
To achieve is to accomplish something, often something significant, especially despite difficulty: "Some are born great ... Some achieve greatness ... And some have greatness thrust upon them" (Shakespeare).

performing

(pəˈfɔːmɪŋ) adj(of an animal) trained to perform tricks before an audience, as in a circus

Performing

See also acrobatics; drama; films; music; songs and singing; tightrope walking.
Barnumismshowmanship or any activity taking advantage of people’s credulity or desire for sensational entertainment, as practiced by P. T. Barnum (1810-91).callithumpiana participant in a noisy mock serenade, as a charivari.charivaria mock serenade accompanied by much noise and revelry, often played as a joke on newly married couples.ecdysiasta strip tease dancer.equilibristone who performs feats that require an unusual sense of balance, as a tightrope walker.escapismthe art or technique of escaping from chains, locked trunks, etc., as a form of entertainment. — escapist, n., adj.funambulismthe art or skill of tightrope walking. — funambulist, n.harlequinadea performance involving Harlequin or other characters of the Commedia dell’Arte; hence, buffoonery or clownish behavior. Also called harlequinery.illusionista conjurer or magician who creates illusions, as by sleight of hand.jugglerythe art of the juggler.legerdemainskill in or practice of feats of dexterity that create a magical illusion. — legerdemainist, n.mimicrythe art or practice of copying or imitating closely, especially by a person for the purpose of entertainment. See also biology. — mimic, mimical, adj.monology1. the art of performing monologues.
2. Obsolete, a monologue.mummery1. a performance by mummers, performers wearing masks or fantastic disguises.
2. any showy but empty performance.pantomimethe art of mute acting. — pantomimist, n.pianologuea humorous performance at the piano, sometimes with a verbal accompaniment by the performer.prestidigitationthe art of legerdemain; sleight of hand. — prestidigitator, n. — prestidigitatorial, prestidigitatory, adj.puppetrythe art of making and handling puppets.recitationista person who recites poetry or other literary excerpts for entertainment.shadowgraphan image formed by a shadow cast upon a lighted surface, as one formed by the hands for entertainment. — shadowgraphist, n.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

performing - the performance of a part or role in a dramaacting, playacting, playingactivity - any specific behavior; "they avoided all recreational activity"personation, portrayal, characterization, enactment - acting the part of a character on stage; dramatically representing the character by speech and action and gesturepersonation, impersonation - imitating the mannerisms of another personmethod acting, method - an acting technique introduced by Stanislavsky in which the actor recalls emotions or reactions from his or her own life and uses them to identify with the character being portrayeddumb show, pantomime, mime - a performance using gestures and body movements without wordsbyplay, stage business, business - incidental activity performed by an actor for dramatic effect; "his business with the cane was hilarious"performance - the act of presenting a play or a piece of music or other entertainment; "we congratulated him on his performance at the rehearsal"; "an inspired performance of Mozart's C minor concerto"skit - a short theatrical episodehamming, overacting - poor acting by a ham actorheroics - ostentatious or vainglorious or extravagant or melodramatic conduct; "heroics are for those epic films they make in Hollywood"reenactment - performing a role in an event that occurred at an earlier time; "the reenactment of the battle of Princeton"roleplaying - acting a particular role (as in psychotherapy)performing arts - arts or skills that require public performance

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