actverb
uk/ækt/us/ækt/act verb (BEHAVE)
[ I ] to behave in the stated way:
More examples
- When he saw the crash, the young boy acted very responsibly and called the police.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Acting and acts
- (your) every move idiom
- -ation
- act/do sth on your own responsibility idiom
- action
- activity
- agency
- ant
- be up to sth idiom
- feel
- gambit
- get around to sth
- give yourself over/up to sth
- go about sth
- go about your business idiom
- go through with sth
- hand
- manoeuvring
- money
- talk the talk idiom
- up to
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act verb (DO SOMETHING)
B2 [ I ] to do something for a particular purpose or to solve a problem:
More examples
- You'll have to act fast or you will lose your chance.
- It's very important to act now before the problem gets really serious.
- The court decided that the companies acted illegally.
- Despite what you think, I'm only acting in your best interests .
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Acting and acts
- (your) every move idiom
- -ation
- act/do sth on your own responsibility idiom
- action
- activity
- agency
- ant
- be up to sth idiom
- feel
- gambit
- get around to sth
- give yourself over/up to sth
- go about sth
- go about your business idiom
- go through with sth
- hand
- manoeuvring
- money
- talk the talk idiom
- up to
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act verb (HAVE AN EFFECT)
[ I ] to have an effect:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Affecting and influencing
- across-the-board
- affect
- applicability
- be/fall under sb's influence/spell idiom
- bear on sth
- cross
- force
- impact
- inroad
- inspiration
- instrumental
- jerk
- lead 1
- leave your/its mark on sb/sth idiom
- thing
- tilt the balance/scales idiom
- turn sb's head idiom
- unlock
- warp
- work against/for sb
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act verb (PERFORM)
B1 [ I or T ] to perform a part in a film, play, etc.:
to behave in a particular, usually bad, way:
More examples
- Try to act confidently, even if you feel nervous.
- She's married, but she doesn't act as if she is, if you see what I mean.
- Abraham was able to act as interpreter for our group.
- Stop acting the fool, I'm trying to talk to you.
- The whole play was appallingly acted.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Cinema & theatre: acting, rehearsing & performing
- act sth out
- amateur theater
- dumb show
- enact
- entrance 1
- go on the stage idiom
- ham
- ham it up
- improvise
- live action
- mime
- offstage
- portray
- prompt
- repertory
- rest
- stage
- stage whisper
- stretch
- variety
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Phrasal verb(s)
actnoun
uk/ækt/us/ækt/act noun (THING DONE)
B2 [ C ] something that you do:
More examples
- His murder was an outrageous and barbarous act.
- The word 'flight' has two different meanings: a plane journey, and the act of running away.
- The law specifically forbids acts of this kind.
- The George Cross is awarded to British civilians for acts of great bravery.
- It was an act of extraordinary irresponsibility to leave someone who wasn't properly trained in charge of the machine.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Acting and acts
- (your) every move idiom
- -ation
- act/do sth on your own responsibility idiom
- action
- activity
- agency
- ant
- be up to sth idiom
- feel
- gambit
- get around to sth
- give yourself over/up to sth
- go about sth
- go about your business idiom
- go through with sth
- hand
- manoeuvring
- money
- talk the talk idiom
- up to
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act noun (PERFORMANCE)
C2 [ S ] behaviour that hides your real feelings or intentions:
[ C ] a person or group that performs a short piece in a show, or the piece that they perform:
B1 [ C ] a part of a play or opera:
More examples
- The main characters are offstage for most of the second act.
- The best part of his stage act was a brilliant Elvis Presley impression.
- I saw the worst comedy act I've ever seen last night - it was absolutely dreadful!
- He put on an act of bravery, but I know that he was absolutely terrified.
- They may seem to be very polite and friendly, but it's only an act.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Faking & pretending
- a wolf in sheep's clothing idiom
- affect
- assume
- believe
- changeling
- charlatan
- falsify
- feign
- fraud
- go through the motions idiom
- guise
- phoney
- play at sth
- play possum idiom
- play sth out
- play-acting
- professed
- purport
- put sth on
- quack
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act noun (LAW)
[ C ] specialized law a law or formal decision made by a parliament or other group of people who make the laws for their country:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Rules & laws
- black codes
- bylaw
- canon
- case law
- common law
- cyberlaw
- dead letter
- diktat
- dos
- edict
- equal protection
- international law
- leash law
- licensing laws
- mandatory
- red tape
- retroactive
- rule
- statute
- statutory
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