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单词 act
释义 act
I. \ˈakt\ noun
(-s)
Etymology: Middle English acte, partly from Latin actus doing, driving, performance, recital, part of a play (from actus, past participle of agere to drive, do), partly from Latin actum thing done, public transaction, record, from neuter of actus, participle — more at agent
1.
 a. : a thing done or being done : deed, performance
  < one of the first acts of the new commission >
  < if some understanding of the act is not present, comment on the result may well be irrelevant — Ronald Bottrall >
  < an act of folly >
 b. law : an external manifestation of the will : something done by a person pursuant to his volition
  < the effect may be negative, in which case the act is properly described as a “forbearance” — T.E.Holland >
 c. psychology
  (1) : a motor performance leading to a definite result
  (2) : a dealing with objects (as by moving, perceiving, or desiring them)
 d. sociology : a sequence of human behavior considered as a unit that is directed toward a goal and is regulated by standards of conduct
2. in Scholasticism : an activity in process of completion; also : a state of reality or real existence attained — contrasted with possibility; compare actus, energy, entelechy
3. often capitalized : the formal product of a legislative body : the formally declared will of a legislature the final requirement of which is usually the signature of the proper executive officer : statute
 < an act of Congress >
sometimes : a decision or determination of a sovereign, a legislative council, or a court of justice : decree, edict, judgment, resolve, award — compare bill, ex post facto law, private law, public law IV
4. : process of doing : action — now used chiefly in the phrase in the act
 < caught in the act >
 < they were always on the verge, or in the act, of civil war — G.L.Dickinson >
5. often capitalized [Middle English acte, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French acte, from Latin actum] : a formal record of something done or transacted
 < given as my free act and deed >
 < Acts of the Apostles >
 < the following section is added to the Act of December 22, 1928, supra — U.S. Code >
6. [Latin actus]
 a. : one of the principal divisions of a play or opera — see scene
 b.
  (1) : one of the successive parts or performances each complete in itself making up an entertainment program (as of a variety show or circus)
  (2) : the performer or performers in such an act
   < common sense dictates that flying-trapeze acts work over nets >
 c.
  (1) : something done for the sake of its intended impression upon others especially when imitative or suggestive of a theatrical performance
   < to do the neglected-wife act >
  (2) : a display of affected especially insincere behavior : pretense
   < his iconoclasm became a trademark and an actTime >
   < put on an act that deceived nobody >
7. : an exercise formerly required of candidates for a degree at Oxford and Cambridge universities consisting of a thesis to be publicly maintained
8. : a voluntary inward prayer serving to express such things as faith in God or contrition for one's sins; also : the expressed form of such prayer

- in act
- into the act
II. verb
(-ed/-ing/-s)
transitive verb
1. obsolete : to move to action : actuate, animate
 < self-love, the spring of motion, acts the soul — Alexander Pope >
2. archaic : to carry out into action : perform, execute, do
 < had Satan been able to have acted anything by force — Daniel Defoe >
3.
 a. : to represent (as an incident or an emotion) by action especially on the stage
  < I could have acted what swept through me then — Mary Austin >
  < he is handsome and he can act neurotic intensity — E.R.Bentley >
 b. : to perform (a dramatic work or role) as an actor
  < beautifully staged and admirably acted >
  < acting the part of Ophelia >
  < every company that acts that operetta has the time of its life — Virgil Thomson >
 c. : to make a pretense of : feign, counterfeit, simulate
  < act dismay >
  < acted a reluctance he did not feel >
4.
 a. : to play the part of (a character in a dramatic work) : personate
  < acted Desdemona >
  < acting, as usual, a crotchety octogenarian >
 b. : to play the part of as if in a play : assume the character of
  < act the man of the world >
  < contentedly act a self-sacrificing mother >
 c. : to behave in a manner suitable to
  < act your age >
intransitive verb
1.
 a. : to perform on the stage : represent a character in the production of a dramatic work
  < frequently acts in his own plays >
  < she began acting as a child of eight >
 b. : to behave as if performing on the stage : pretend, feign, dissemble
  < wanted people who would be behaving rather than actingNew Yorker >
  < watching closely, one had a feeling that she was acting >
2. : to carry into effect a determination of the will : take action : move
 < to think carefully before acting >
 < called on the government to act quickly >
 < in a position to act in the light of experience — London Calling >
 < found the truth too unbearable to face, much less to act upon — Hamilton Basso >
3. : to conduct or comport oneself (as in morals or manners or in private life or public office) : behave
 < to be judged by the way one acts >
 < acted with becoming modesty >
 < act like a fool >
 < acted as if he felt ill >
— often used with an adjective complement
 < acted tired >
 < act superior >
4. : to discharge the duties of a specified office or post : perform a specified function : serve — used with a prepositional phrase
 < declaring what officer shall then act as President — U.S. Constitution >
 < appointed by the chairman to act for him >
 < acted in this capacity throughout the winter >
 < trees left standing to act as a windbreak >
5.
 a. : to exert power or influence : produce an effect
  < the gas appears to act principally by causing pain — H.G.Armstrong >
  < forms of magic … which are supposed to act at a distance — J.G.Frazer >
  — often used with on
  < caused by acid acting on metal >
  < abnormal stimuli, acting on a neurotic temperament — V.L.Parrington >
 b. : to produce a desired effect : perform the function for which designed or employed : work
  < the brake sometimes acts too quickly >
  < wait for a medicine to act >
6. of a play : to be capable of being performed
 < this play acts as well as it reads >
7. : to give a decision or award (as by vote of a deliberative body or by judicial decree) — often used with on
 < adjourned with several important matters still not acted on >
Synonyms:
 behave, work, operate, function, react: these all have in common the indication of the way in which a person or thing performs, independently or in response to a stimulus. act, the most general of this group, stresses the specific nature of the movements or activity or what they indicate in terms of attitude or condition
  < the child acted strangely when his teacher called >
  < how does the chemical act when mixed with water? >
  < the automobile acted all right on the trip >
  behave commonly applies to persons and, in that application, commonly implies a standard of what is right, proper, or decorous
  < behaved in a decent and polite way >
  but has come also to apply more generally as more or less interchangeable with act
  < how does the car behave on long trips? >
  < how the thyroid gland behaves under emotional excitement >
  < a study of how groups behave under war conditions >
  function, operate, and work agree in meaning to act in a way natural or intended
  < when the fuse blew, the electric stove ceased to function >
  < under the strain of fatigue his brain refused to operate >
  < the clock no longer works >
  function emphasizes the activity itself for which a thing exists or is designed, sometimes also applying to activity that is official or as if official
  < in order to function, man's organism requires a specific temperature, a specific quality of climate, air, light, humidity, and food — Siegfried Giedion >
  < they have functioned as observers rather than participants — J.M.Brown >
  operate sometimes emphasizes more the degree of efficiency of the activity
  < the device for lifting heavy objects did not operate to anyone's satisfaction >
  < if the machine is kept oiled, it will operate smoothly >
  work emphasizes the degree of success or effectiveness of the activity
  < the plan for promoting money did not work and so was not tried again >
  < the faucet, partly plugged with rust, did not work well >
  react, as the etymology would imply, generally suggests action in response or with reciprocal or counteractive effect
  < he had found that laboratory animals reacted to tests with the chemical by showing various forms of mental disturbances — Current Biography >
  < we lived there blissfully happy, reacting upon one another, stimulating one another — W.A.White >
  although it has come to be often almost interchangeable with act or behave
  < at this threat the civil service reacted in the way which is always open to any civil service, under any regime — C.P.Fitzgerald >
  especially in a desired way
  < children react under kind treatment >

- act a part
- act the part
III. abbreviation
1. acting
2. active
3. actual
4. actuary
IV. noun
1. : a performance or presentation identified with a particular individual or group
2. : the sum of a person's actions or effects that serve to create an impression or set an example
 < a hard act to follow >
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更新时间:2024/12/23 11:26:28