English > act: 15 senses > noun 2, Tops| Meaning | Something that people do or cause to happen. |
|---|
| Synonyms | deed, human action, human activity |
|---|
| Narrower | acquiring, getting | The act of acquiring something |
|---|
| action | Something done (usually as opposed to something said) |
| activity | Any specific behavior |
| assumption | The act of assuming or taking for granted |
| causing, causation | The act of causing something to happen / happen |
| communication, communicating | The activity of communicating |
| delivery, obstetrical delivery | The act of delivering a child |
| departure, going, going away, leaving | The act of departing |
| derivation | The act of deriving something or obtaining something from a source or origin |
| discovery, find, uncovering | The act of discovering something |
| disposal, disposition | The act or means of getting rid of something |
| distribution | The act of distributing or spreading or apportioning |
| egress, egression, emergence | The act of coming (or going) out |
| equalization, equalisation, leveling | The act of making equal or uniform / uniform |
| exhumation, disinterment, digging up | The act of digging something out of the ground (especially a corpse) where it has been buried |
| forfeit, forfeiture, sacrifice | The act of losing or surrendering / surrendering something as a penalty for a mistake or fault or failure to perform etc. |
| group action | action taken by a group of people |
| hindrance, hinderance, interference | The act of hindering or obstructing or impeding |
| hire | The act of hiring something or someone |
| implementation, effectuation | The act of implementing (providing a practical means for accomplishing something) |
| inactivity | Inactive |
| judgment, judgement, assessment | The act of judging / judging / judging or assessing a person or situation or event |
| leaning | The act of deviating from a vertical position |
| legitimation | The act of rendering a person legitimate |
| mitzvah, mitsvah | (Judaism) a good deed performed out of religious duty |
| motivation, motivating | The act of motivating |
| nonaccomplishment, nonachievement | An act that does not achieve its intended goal |
| proclamation, promulgation | The formal act of proclaiming |
| production | The act or process of producing something |
| propulsion, actuation | The act of propelling |
| recovery, retrieval | The act of regaining or saving something lost (or in danger of becoming lost) |
| rejection | The act of rejecting something |
| residency, residence, abidance | The act of dwelling in a place |
| running away | The act of leaving (without permission) the place you are expected to be |
| speech act | The use of language to perform some act |
| stay | Continuing or remaining in a place or state |
| stop, stoppage | The act of stopping something |
| touch, touching | The act of putting two things together with no space between them |
| waste, permissive waste | (law) reduction in the value of an estate caused by act or neglect |
| wear, wearing | The act of having on your person as a covering or adornment |
| Broader | event | Something that happens at a given place and time |
|---|
| Spanish | acción humana, acción, actividad humana, acto |
|---|
| Catalan | acció humana, acció, acte, activitat humana |
|---|
| Verbs | act | perform an action, or work out or perform (an action) |
|---|
| actuate | put in motion or move to act |
| actuate | give an incentive for action / action |
English > act: 15 senses > verb 1, social| Meaning | Perform an action, or work out or perform (an action). |
|---|
| Pattern | Something ----s; Somebody ----s; Somebody ----s PP |
|---|
| Examples | - "think before you act"
- "The governor should act on the new energy bill"
- "The nanny acted quickly by grabbing the toddler and covering him with a wet towel"
|
|---|
| Synonym | move |
|---|
| Caused by | coerce, hale, squeeze, pressure, force | To cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical, moral or intellectual means |
|---|
| compel, oblige, obligate | Force somebody to do something |
| direct | Be in charge of |
| incite, instigate, set off, stir up | Provoke or stir ... / stir up |
| Narrower | act on | regulate one's behavior in accordance with certain information, ideas, or advice |
|---|
| alternate, take turns | Do something in turns |
| antagonize, antagonise, counteract | act in opposition to |
| anticipate, foresee, forestall, counter | Act in advance of |
| attack, aggress | Take the initiative and go on the offensive |
| begin, start | Begin an event that is implied and limited by the nature or inherent function of the direct object |
| behave, comport | Behave well or properly |
| behave, acquit, bear, deport, conduct, comport, carry | Behave in a certain manner |
| coact | act together, as of organisms |
| come close | nearly do something |
| come to the fore, step forward, come forward, step up, step to the fore, come out | make oneself visible |
| condescend, deign, descend | Do something that one considers to be below one's dignity |
| condescend | Behave in a patronizing and condescending manner |
| condescend, stoop, lower oneself | debase oneself morally, act in an undignified, unworthy, or dishonorable way |
| continue, go on, proceed, go along, keep | Continue a certain state, condition, or activity |
| continue | Continue after an interruption / interruption |
| continue, persist in | Do something repeatedly and showing no intention to stop |
| cope, get by, make out, make do, contend, grapple, deal, manage | Come to terms with |
| court | Engage in social activities leading to marriage |
| create | pursue a creative activity |
| dally, toy, play, flirt | Behave carelessly or indifferently |
| dare | To be courageous enough to try or do something |
| deal | Take action with respect to (someone or something) |
| dispatch | dispose of rapidly and without delay and efficiently |
| do well, had best | Act in one's own or everybody's best interest |
| effect | act so as to bring into existence |
| egotrip | Act in a way that attracts attention |
| evade | Practice evasion |
| exert | make a great effort at a mental or physical task |
| finish up, land up, fetch up, end up, wind up, finish | finally be or do something |
| force | Do forcibly |
| get around to | Do something despite obstacles such as lack of time |
| go, proceed, move | Follow a procedure or take a course |
| go ahead, plow ahead | proceed (with a plan of action) |
| go off half-cocked, go off at half-cock | Act prematurely or without reflection or too soon |
| guard | Take precautions in order to avoid some unwanted consequence |
| interact | Act together or towards others or with others |
| interrupt, disturb | Destroy the peace or tranquility of |
| lord it over, queen it over, put on airs, act superior | Act like the master of |
| make a point, make sure | make a point of doing something |
| make bold, dare, presume | Take upon oneself |
| maneuver, manoeuver, manoeuvre | Act in order to achieve a certain goal / goal |
| misbehave, misconduct, misdemean | Behave badly |
| participate, take part | Share in something |
| partner | act as a partner |
| perform | Perform a function |
| perpetrate, commit, pull | Perform an act, usually with a negative connotation |
| play | Behave in a certain way |
| play | Act or have an effect in a specified way or with a specific effect or outcome |
| play it by ear | decide on one's actions as one goes along, depending on the situation |
| prosecute | Conduct a prosecution in a court of law |
| prosecute, engage, pursue | carry out or participate in an activity |
| race | To work as fast as possible towards a goal, sometimes in competition with others |
| rampage | Act violently, recklessly, or destructively |
| react, respond | show a response or a reaction to something |
| react, oppose | act against or in opposition to |
| reciprocate | Act, feel, or give mutually or in return |
| repeat, take over | Do over |
| reward, repay, pay back | Act or give recompense in recognition of someone's behavior or actions |
| rush, hasten, hurry, look sharp, festinate | Act or move at high speed |
| satisfice, satisfise | decide on and pursue a course of action satisfying the minimum requirements to achieve a goal |
| set about, go about, approach | Begin to deal with |
| sneak | put, bring, or take in a secretive or furtive manner |
| stampede | Act, usually en masse, hurriedly or on an impulse |
| surprise | come upon or take unawares |
| take | carry out |
| take care | Be careful, prudent, or watchful |
| take time by the forelock | Act quickly and decisively |
| try, seek, attempt, essay, assay | make an effort or attempt |
| use | Habitually do something (use only in the past tense) |
| volunteer, offer | agree / agree freely |
| wait, hold off, hold back | wait before acting |
| woo, court, romance, solicit | make amorous advances towards |
| See also | act on | carry further or advance |
|---|
| act up | misbehave badly |
| act upon | have and exert influence or effect |
| Opposite | refrain, forbear | Resist doing something |
|---|
| Spanish | actuar, hacer, llevar a cabo, obrar |
|---|
| Catalan | actuar, fer |
|---|
| Nouns | act | something that people do or cause to happen |
|---|
| action | something done (usually as opposed to something said) |
| action | the state of being active |
English > act: 15 senses > verb 2, body| Meaning | Behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself. |
|---|
| Pattern | Somebody ----s; Somebody ----s Adjective |
|---|
| Examples | - "You should act like an adult"
- "The dog acts ferocious, but he is really afraid of people"
|
|---|
| Synonyms | behave, do |
|---|
| Narrower | act, play, act as | pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind |
|---|
| act involuntarily, act reflexively | Act in an uncontrolled manner |
| backslap | Display excessive cordiality (towards) |
| break down, lose it, snap | Lose control of one's emotions |
| bungle | spoil by behaving clumsily or foolishly |
| dally, dawdle | Waste time |
| fall over backwards, bend over backwards | try very hard to please someone |
| follow | Accept and follow the leadership or command or guidance of |
| footle | act foolishly, as by talking / talking nonsense |
| freeze | Suddenly behave coldly and formally |
| frivol, trifle | Act frivolously |
| hugger mugger | Act stealthily or secretively |
| joke, jest | Act in a funny or teasing way |
| make | Behave in a certain way |
| make | act in a certain way so as to acquire |
| make as if | Begin or appear to begin an action |
| menace | Act in a threatening manner |
| optimize, optimise | act as an optimist and take a sunny view of the world |
| piffle | Act in a trivial or ineffective way |
| play, toy | Engage in an activity as if it were a game rather than take it seriously |
| presume | Take liberties or act with too much confidence |
| quack | act as a medical quack or a charlatan |
| ramp, rage, storm | Behave violently, as if in state of a great anger |
| relax, loosen up | Become less tense, less formal, or less restrained, and assume a friendlier manner |
| romanticize | Act in a romantic / romantic way |
| sauce | Behave saucily or impudently towards |
| sentimentalise, sentimentalize, sentimentize, sentimentise | Act in a sentimental way or indulge in sentimental thoughts or expression |
| stooge | act as a stooge, in a compliant or subordinate manner |
| swagger, bluster, swash | Act in an arrogant, overly self-assured, or conceited manner |
| swell, puff up | Become filled with pride, arrogance, or anger |
| vulgarize, vulgarise | Act in a vulgar manner |
| wanton | Behave extremely cruelly and brutally |
| See also | act up | make itself felt as a recurring pain |
|---|
| Similar to | act, play, act as | pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind |
|---|
| dissemble, pretend, act | Behave unnaturally or affectedly |
| Spanish | actuar, comportarse, comportar, comprtarse, hacer, obrar, portarse, portar |
|---|
| Catalan | actuar, comportar-se, comportar, fer, obrar, portar |
|---|
English > act: 15 senses > verb 3, creation| Meaning | Play a role or part. |
|---|
| Pattern | Somebody ----s; Somebody ----s something; Somebody ----s somebody |
|---|
| Example | "She wants to act Lady Macbeth, but she is too young for the role" |
|---|
| Synonyms | play, represent |
|---|
| Category | performing arts | arts or skills that require public performance |
|---|
| Entailed by | enter | Come on stage |
|---|
| Narrower | act out | represent an incident, state, or emotion by action, especially on stage |
|---|
| emote | Give expression or emotion to, in a stage or movie role |
| enact, reenact, act out | act out |
| impersonate, portray | assume or act the character of |
| make, pretend, make believe | represent fictitiously, as in a play, or pretend to be or act like |
| parody | make a spoof of or make fun of |
| support | Play a subordinate role to (another performer) |
| Broader | re-create | create anew |
|---|
| Similar to | act, play, act as | pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind |
|---|
| act, play, roleplay, playact | Perform on a stage or theater |
| play | pretend to be somebody in the framework of a game / game or playful activity |
| Spanish | interpretar, jugar, representar, tocar |
|---|
| Catalan | jugar, representar, tocar |
|---|
| Adjectives | actable | capable of being acted |
|---|
| Nouns | act | a short theatrical performance that is part of a longer program |
|---|
| acting | the performance of a part or role in a drama |
| actor | a theatrical performer |
