| act | | |
| n. (communication) | 1. act, enactment | a legal document codifying the result of deliberations of a committee or society or legislative body. |
| ~ legal document, legal instrument, official document, instrument | (law) a document that states some contractual relationship or grants some right. |
| ~ nullity | something that is null (especially an enactment that has no legal validity). |
| ~ decree, fiat, edict, rescript, order | a legally binding command or decision entered on the court record (as if issued by a court or judge).; "a friend in New Mexico said that the order caused no trouble out there" |
| ~ legislative act, statute | an act passed by a legislative body. |
| ~ law, jurisprudence | the collection of rules imposed by authority.; "civilization presupposes respect for the law"; "the great problem for jurisprudence to allow freedom while enforcing order" |
| n. (tops) | 2. act, deed, human action, human activity | something that people do or cause to happen. |
| ~ event | something that happens at a given place and time. |
| ~ action | something done (usually as opposed to something said).; "there were stories of murders and other unnatural actions" |
| ~ acquiring, getting | the act of acquiring something.; "I envied his talent for acquiring"; "he's much more interested in the getting than in the giving" |
| ~ causation, causing | the act of causing something to happen. |
| ~ obstetrical delivery, delivery | the act of delivering a child. |
| ~ departure, going, going away, leaving | the act of departing. |
| ~ discovery, find, uncovering | the act of discovering something. |
| ~ disposition, disposal | the act or means of getting rid of something. |
| ~ effectuation, implementation | the act of implementing (providing a practical means for accomplishing something); carrying into effect. |
| ~ egression, egress, emergence | the act of coming (or going) out; becoming apparent. |
| ~ equalisation, equalization, leveling | the act of making equal or uniform. |
| ~ digging up, disinterment, exhumation | the act of digging something out of the ground (especially a corpse) where it has been buried. |
| ~ mitsvah, mitzvah | (Judaism) a good deed performed out of religious duty. |
| ~ actuation, propulsion | the act of propelling. |
| ~ recovery, retrieval | the act of regaining or saving something lost (or in danger of becoming lost). |
| ~ running away | the act of leaving (without permission) the place you are expected to be. |
| ~ touching, touch | the act of putting two things together with no space between them.; "at his touch the room filled with lights" |
| ~ nonaccomplishment, nonachievement | an act that does not achieve its intended goal. |
| ~ leaning | the act of deviating from a vertical position. |
| ~ motivating, motivation | the act of motivating; providing incentive. |
| ~ assumption | the act of assuming or taking for granted.; "your assumption that I would agree was unwarranted" |
| ~ rejection | the act of rejecting something.; "his proposals were met with rejection" |
| ~ sacrifice, forfeit, forfeiture | the act of losing or surrendering something as a penalty for a mistake or fault or failure to perform etc.. |
| ~ derivation | the act of deriving something or obtaining something from a source or origin. |
| ~ activity | any specific behavior.; "they avoided all recreational activity" |
| ~ hire | the act of hiring something or someone.; "he signed up for a week's car hire" |
| ~ wearing, wear | the act of having on your person as a covering or adornment.; "she bought it for everyday wear" |
| ~ judgment, assessment, judgement | the act of judging or assessing a person or situation or event.; "they criticized my judgment of the contestants" |
| ~ production | the act or process of producing something.; "Shakespeare's production of poetry was enormous"; "the production of white blood cells" |
| ~ stay | continuing or remaining in a place or state.; "they had a nice stay in Paris"; "a lengthy hospital stay"; "a four-month stay in bankruptcy court" |
| ~ residency, abidance, residence | the act of dwelling in a place. |
| ~ inactivity | being inactive; being less active. |
| ~ interference, hinderance, hindrance | the act of hindering or obstructing or impeding. |
| ~ stop, stoppage | the act of stopping something.; "the third baseman made some remarkable stops"; "his stoppage of the flow resulted in a flood" |
| ~ group action | action taken by a group of people. |
| ~ distribution | the act of distributing or spreading or apportioning. |
| ~ legitimation | the act of rendering a person legitimate.; "he has filial rights because he obtained letters of legitimation from the king"; "his parents' subsequent marriage resulted in his legitimation" |
| ~ permissive waste, waste | (law) reduction in the value of an estate caused by act or neglect. |
| ~ proclamation, promulgation | the formal act of proclaiming; giving public notice.; "his promulgation of the policy proved to be premature" |
| ~ communicating, communication | the activity of communicating; the activity of conveying information.; "they could not act without official communication from Moscow" |
| ~ speech act | the use of language to perform some act. |
| n. (communication) | 3. act | a subdivision of a play or opera or ballet. |
| ~ ballet, concert dance | a theatrical representation of a story that is performed to music by trained dancers. |
| ~ dramatic composition, dramatic work | a play for performance on the stage or television or in a movie etc.. |
| ~ drama, dramatic play, play | a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage.; "he wrote several plays but only one was produced on Broadway" |
| ~ scene | a subdivision of an act of a play.; "the first act has three scenes" |
| ~ opera | a drama set to music; consists of singing with orchestral accompaniment and an orchestral overture and interludes. |
| n. (communication) | 4. act, bit, number, routine, turn | a short theatrical performance that is part of a longer program.; "he did his act three times every evening"; "she had a catchy little routine"; "it was one of the best numbers he ever did" |
| ~ performance, public presentation | a dramatic or musical entertainment.; "they listened to ten different performances"; "the play ran for 100 performances"; "the frequent performances of the symphony testify to its popularity" |
| ~ show-stopper, showstopper, stopper | an act so striking or impressive that the show must be delayed until the audience quiets down. |
| n. (communication) | 5. act | a manifestation of insincerity.; "he put on quite an act for her benefit" |
| ~ expression, reflexion, reflection, manifestation | expression without words.; "tears are an expression of grief"; "the pulse is a reflection of the heart's condition" |
| v. (social) | 6. act, move | perform an action, or work out or perform (an action).; "think before you act"; "We must move quickly"; "The governor should act on the new energy bill"; "The nanny acted quickly by grabbing the toddler and covering him with a wet towel" |
| ~ take turns, alternate | do something in turns.; "We take turns on the night shift" |
| ~ end up, fetch up, wind up, finish, finish up, land up | finally be or do something.; "He ended up marrying his high school sweetheart"; "he wound up being unemployed and living at home again" |
| ~ festinate, hasten, look sharp, hurry, rush | act or move at high speed.; "We have to rush!"; "hurry--it's late!" |
| ~ interrupt, disturb | destroy the peace or tranquility of.; "Don't interrupt me when I'm reading" |
| ~ react, respond | show a response or a reaction to something. |
| ~ go ahead, plow ahead | proceed (with a plan of action).; "He went ahead with the project" |
| ~ aggress, attack | take the initiative and go on the offensive.; "The Serbs attacked the village at night"; "The visiting team started to attack" |
| ~ force | do forcibly; exert force.; "Don't force it!" |
| ~ create | pursue a creative activity; be engaged in a creative activity.; "Don't disturb him--he is creating" |
| ~ come forward, come to the fore, step forward, step to the fore, step up, come out | make oneself visible; take action.; "Young people should step to the fore and help their peers" |
| ~ pay back, repay, reward | act or give recompense in recognition of someone's behavior or actions. |
| ~ satisfice, satisfise | decide on and pursue a course of action satisfying the minimum requirements to achieve a goal.; "optimization requires processes that are more complex than those needed to merely satisfice" |
| ~ manoeuver, manoeuvre, maneuver | act in order to achieve a certain goal.; "He maneuvered to get the chairmanship"; "She maneuvered herself into the directorship" |
| ~ dispatch | dispose of rapidly and without delay and efficiently.; "He dispatched the task he was assigned" |
| ~ evade | practice evasion.; "This man always hesitates and evades" |
| ~ race | to work as fast as possible towards a goal, sometimes in competition with others.; "We are racing to find a cure for AIDS" |
| ~ use | habitually do something (use only in the past tense).; "She used to call her mother every week but now she calls only occasionally"; "I used to get sick when I ate in that dining hall"; "They used to vacation in the Bahamas" |
| ~ play it by ear | decide on one's actions as one goes along, depending on the situation.; "She didn't know what to expect from her new job, so she played it by ear" |
| ~ play | act or have an effect in a specified way or with a specific effect or outcome.; "This factor played only a minor part in his decision"; "This development played into her hands"; "I played no role in your dismissal" |
| ~ deal | take action with respect to (someone or something).; "How are we going to deal with this problem?"; "The teacher knew how to deal with these lazy students" |
| ~ partner | act as a partner.; "Astaire partnered Rogers" |
| ~ exert | make a great effort at a mental or physical task.; "exert oneself" |
| ~ egotrip | act in a way that attracts attention.; "This teacher always egotrips and the students don't like him" |
| ~ reciprocate | act, feel, or give mutually or in return.; "We always invite the neighbors and they never reciprocate!" |
| ~ go, proceed, move | follow a procedure or take a course.; "We should go farther in this matter"; "She went through a lot of trouble"; "go about the world in a certain manner"; "Messages must go through diplomatic channels" |
| ~ come close | nearly do something.; "She came close to quitting her job" |
| ~ perform | perform a function.; "Who will perform the wedding?" |
| ~ dare, make bold, presume | take upon oneself; act presumptuously, without permission.; "How dare you call my lawyer?" |
| ~ engage, pursue, prosecute | carry out or participate in an activity; be involved in.; "She pursued many activities"; "They engaged in a discussion" |
| ~ act on | regulate one's behavior in accordance with certain information, ideas, or advice.; "The Founding Fathers acted on certain moral principles" |
| ~ interact | act together or towards others or with others.; "He should interact more with his colleagues" |
| ~ react, oppose | act against or in opposition to.; "She reacts negatively to everything I say" |
| ~ take time by the forelock | act quickly and decisively; not let slip an opportunity. |
| ~ coact | act together, as of organisms. |
| ~ volunteer, offer | agree freely.; "She volunteered to drive the old lady home"; "I offered to help with the dishes but the hostess would not hear of it" |
| ~ get around to | do something despite obstacles such as lack of time.; "He finally got around to painting the windows" |
| ~ dally, toy, flirt, play | behave carelessly or indifferently.; "Play about with a young girl's affection" |
| ~ go about, set about, approach | begin to deal with.; "approach a task"; "go about a difficult problem"; "approach a new project" |
| ~ participate, take part | share in something. |
| ~ misbehave, misconduct, misdemean | behave badly.; "The children misbehaved all morning" |
| ~ lower oneself, stoop, condescend | debase oneself morally, act in an undignified, unworthy, or dishonorable way.; "I won't stoop to reading other people's mail" |
| ~ deport, acquit, behave, comport, conduct, bear, carry | behave in a certain manner.; "She carried herself well"; "he bore himself with dignity"; "They conducted themselves well during these difficult times" |
| ~ comport, behave | behave well or properly.; "The children must learn to behave" |
| ~ attempt, essay, try, assay, seek | make an effort or attempt.; "He tried to shake off his fears"; "The infant had essayed a few wobbly steps"; "The police attempted to stop the thief"; "He sought to improve himself"; "She always seeks to do good in the world" |
| ~ court, romance, solicit, woo | make amorous advances towards.; "John is courting Mary" |
| ~ court | engage in social activities leading to marriage.; "We were courting for over ten years" |
| ~ dare | to be courageous enough to try or do something.; "I don't dare call him"; "she dares to dress differently from the others" |
| ~ effect | act so as to bring into existence.; "effect a change" |
| ~ antagonise, counteract, antagonize | act in opposition to. |
| ~ anticipate, counter, forestall, foresee | act in advance of; deal with ahead of time. |
| ~ prosecute | conduct a prosecution in a court of law. |
| ~ commit, perpetrate, pull | perform an act, usually with a negative connotation.; "perpetrate a crime"; "pull a bank robbery" |
| ~ rampage | act violently, recklessly, or destructively. |
| ~ cope, get by, grapple, make do, manage, contend, deal, make out | come to terms with.; "We got by on just a gallon of gas"; "They made do on half a loaf of bread every day" |
| ~ deign, condescend, descend | do something that one considers to be below one's dignity. |
| ~ condescend | behave in a patronizing and condescending manner. |
| ~ take care | be careful, prudent, or watchful.; "Take care when you cross the street!" |
| ~ act superior, lord it over, put on airs, queen it over | act like the master of.; "He is lording it over the students" |
| ~ stampede | act, usually en masse, hurriedly or on an impulse.; "Companies will now stampede to release their latest software" |
| ~ make a point, make sure | make a point of doing something; act purposefully and intentionally. |
| ~ repeat, take over | do over.; "They would like to take it over again" |
| ~ surprise | come upon or take unawares.; "She surprised the couple"; "He surprised an interesting scene" |
| ~ sneak | put, bring, or take in a secretive or furtive manner.; "sneak a look"; "sneak a cigarette" |
| ~ play | behave in a certain way.; "play safe"; "play it safe"; "play fair" |
| ~ take | carry out.; "take action"; "take steps"; "take vengeance" |
| ~ guard | take precautions in order to avoid some unwanted consequence.; "guard against becoming too friendly with the staff"; "guard against infection" |
| ~ begin, start | begin an event that is implied and limited by the nature or inherent function of the direct object.; "begin a cigar"; "She started the soup while it was still hot"; "We started physics in 10th grade" |
| ~ go off at half-cock, go off half-cocked | act prematurely or without reflection or too soon.; "she wanted to quit her job but her mother told her not to go off half-cocked" |
| ~ hold off, wait, hold back | wait before acting.; "the scientists held off announcing their results until they repeated the experiment" |
| ~ continue, go on, go along, keep, proceed | continue a certain state, condition, or activity.; "Keep on working!"; "We continued to work into the night"; "Keep smiling"; "We went on working until well past midnight" |
| ~ do well, had best | act in one's own or everybody's best interest.; "You will do well to arrive on time tomorrow!" |
| ~ continue | continue after an interruption.; "The demonstration continued after a break for lunch" |
| ~ persist in, continue | do something repeatedly and showing no intention to stop.; "We continued our research into the cause of the illness"; "The landlord persists in asking us to move" |
| v. (body) | 7. act, behave, do | behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself.; "You should act like an adult"; "Don't behave like a fool"; "What makes her do this way?"; "The dog acts ferocious, but he is really afraid of people" |
| ~ act involuntarily, act reflexively | act in an uncontrolled manner. |
| ~ bend over backwards, fall over backwards | try very hard to please someone.; "She falls over backwards when she sees her mother-in-law" |
| ~ presume | take liberties or act with too much confidence. |
| ~ vulgarise, vulgarize | act in a vulgar manner.; "The drunkard tends to vulgarize" |
| ~ optimise, optimize | act as an optimist and take a sunny view of the world. |
| ~ quack | act as a medical quack or a charlatan. |
| ~ menace | act in a threatening manner.; "A menacing person" |
| ~ make | act in a certain way so as to acquire.; "make friends"; "make enemies" |
| ~ bluster, swagger, swash | act in an arrogant, overly self-assured, or conceited manner. |
| ~ freeze | suddenly behave coldly and formally.; "She froze when she saw her ex-husband" |
| ~ wanton | behave extremely cruelly and brutally. |
| ~ romanticize | act in a romantic way. |
| ~ sentimentise, sentimentize, sentimentalise, sentimentalize | act in a sentimental way or indulge in sentimental thoughts or expression. |
| ~ bungle | spoil by behaving clumsily or foolishly.; "I bungled it!" |
| ~ toy, play | engage in an activity as if it were a game rather than take it seriously.; "They played games on their opponents"; "play the stock market"; "play with her feelings"; "toy with an idea" |
| ~ act as, act, play | pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind.; "He acted the idiot"; "She plays deaf when the news are bad" |
| ~ act as, act, play | pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind.; "He acted the idiot"; "She plays deaf when the news are bad" |
| ~ stooge | act as a stooge, in a compliant or subordinate manner.; "He stooged for the flamboyant Senator" |
| ~ jest, joke | act in a funny or teasing way. |
| ~ piffle | act in a trivial or ineffective way. |
| ~ make | behave in a certain way.; "make merry" |
| ~ make as if | begin or appear to begin an action.; "He made as if to shake my hand" |
| ~ pretend, dissemble, act | behave unnaturally or affectedly.; "She's just acting" |
| ~ lose it, break down, snap | lose control of one's emotions.; "When she heard that she had not passed the exam, she lost it completely"; "When her baby died, she snapped" |
| ~ dally, dawdle | waste time.; "Get busy--don't dally!" |
| ~ backslap | display excessive cordiality (towards).; "he is always backslapping his colleagues at staff meetings" |
| ~ hugger mugger | act stealthily or secretively. |
| ~ sauce | behave saucily or impudently towards. |
| ~ footle | act foolishly, as by talking nonsense. |
| ~ frivol, trifle | act frivolously. |
| ~ swell, puff up | become filled with pride, arrogance, or anger.; "The mother was swelling with importance when she spoke of her son" |
| ~ follow | accept and follow the leadership or command or guidance of.; "Let's follow our great helmsman!"; "She followed a guru for years" |
| ~ loosen up, relax | become less tense, less formal, or less restrained, and assume a friendlier manner.; "our new colleague relaxed when he saw that we were a friendly group" |
| ~ rage, ramp, storm | behave violently, as if in state of a great anger. |
| v. (creation) | 8. act, play, represent | play a role or part.; "Gielgud played Hamlet"; "She wants to act Lady Macbeth, but she is too young for the role"; "She played the servant to her husband's master" |
| ~ performing arts | arts or skills that require public performance. |
| ~ act as, act, play | pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind.; "He acted the idiot"; "She plays deaf when the news are bad" |
| ~ make believe, pretend, make | represent fictitiously, as in a play, or pretend to be or act like.; "She makes like an actress" |
| ~ re-create | create anew.; "Re-create the boom of the West on a small scale" |
| ~ playact, roleplay, act, play | perform on a stage or theater.; "She acts in this play"; "He acted in `Julius Caesar'"; "I played in `A Christmas Carol'" |
| ~ support | play a subordinate role to (another performer).; "Olivier supported Gielgud beautifully in the second act" |
| ~ play | pretend to be somebody in the framework of a game or playful activity.; "Let's play like I am mommy"; "Play cowboy and Indians" |
| ~ act out, enact, reenact | act out; represent or perform as if in a play.; "She reenacted what had happened earlier that day" |
| ~ act out | represent an incident, state, or emotion by action, especially on stage.; "She could act neurotic anxiety" |
| ~ impersonate, portray | assume or act the character of.; "She impersonates Madonna"; "The actor portrays an elderly, lonely man" |
| ~ parody | make a spoof of or make fun of. |
| ~ emote | give expression or emotion to, in a stage or movie role. |
| v. (competition) | 9. act | discharge one's duties.; "She acts as the chair"; "In what capacity are you acting?" |
| ~ serve | do duty or hold offices; serve in a specific function.; "He served as head of the department for three years"; "She served in Congress for two terms" |
| ~ criticise, criticize | act as a critic.; "Those who criticize others often are not perfect, either" |
| ~ bank | act as the banker in a game or in gambling. |
| v. (body) | 10. act, act as, play | pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind.; "He acted the idiot"; "She plays deaf when the news are bad" |
| ~ behave, act, do | behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself.; "You should act like an adult"; "Don't behave like a fool"; "What makes her do this way?"; "The dog acts ferocious, but he is really afraid of people" |
| ~ behave, act, do | behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself.; "You should act like an adult"; "Don't behave like a fool"; "What makes her do this way?"; "The dog acts ferocious, but he is really afraid of people" |
| ~ act, play, represent | play a role or part.; "Gielgud played Hamlet"; "She wants to act Lady Macbeth, but she is too young for the role"; "She played the servant to her husband's master" |
| v. (stative) | 11. act | be suitable for theatrical performance.; "This scene acts well" |
| ~ playact, roleplay, act, play | perform on a stage or theater.; "She acts in this play"; "He acted in `Julius Caesar'"; "I played in `A Christmas Carol'" |
| ~ be | have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun).; "John is rich"; "This is not a good answer" |
| v. (social) | 12. act, work | have an effect or outcome; often the one desired or expected.; "The voting process doesn't work as well as people thought"; "How does your idea work in practice?"; "This method doesn't work"; "The breaks of my new car act quickly"; "The medicine works only if you take it with a lot of water" |
| ~ make for, wreak, bring, work, play | cause to happen or to occur as a consequence.; "I cannot work a miracle"; "wreak havoc"; "bring comments"; "play a joke"; "The rain brought relief to the drought-stricken area" |
| ~ bring home the bacon, deliver the goods, succeed, come through, win | attain success or reach a desired goal.; "The enterprise succeeded"; "We succeeded in getting tickets to the show"; "she struggled to overcome her handicap and won" |
| v. (social) | 13. act | be engaged in an activity, often for no particular purpose other than pleasure. |
| ~ play | be at play; be engaged in playful activity; amuse oneself in a way characteristic of children.; "The kids were playing outside all day"; "I used to play with trucks as a little girl" |
| ~ drive around | drive without any particular aim.; "we were driving around in the countryside on a fine Sunday morning" |
| ~ walk around | walk randomly.; "We were walking around in the neighborhood to see whether we could find an open drugstore" |
| v. (creation) | 14. act, dissemble, pretend | behave unnaturally or affectedly.; "She's just acting" |
| ~ behave, act, do | behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself.; "You should act like an adult"; "Don't behave like a fool"; "What makes her do this way?"; "The dog acts ferocious, but he is really afraid of people" |
| ~ sham, feign, simulate, assume | make a pretence of.; "She assumed indifference, even though she was seething with anger"; "he feigned sleep" |
| v. (creation) | 15. act, play, playact, roleplay | perform on a stage or theater.; "She acts in this play"; "He acted in `Julius Caesar'"; "I played in `A Christmas Carol'" |
| ~ dramatic art, dramaturgy, dramatics, theater, theatre | the art of writing and producing plays. |
| ~ perform | give a performance (of something).; "Horowitz is performing at Carnegie Hall tonight"; "We performed a popular Gilbert and Sullivan opera" |
| ~ play | perform on a certain location.; "The prodigy played Carnegie Hall at the age of 16"; "She has been playing on Broadway for years" |
| ~ play | be performed or presented for public viewing.; "What's playing in the local movie theater?"; "`Cats' has been playing on Broadway for many years" |
| ~ act, play, represent | play a role or part.; "Gielgud played Hamlet"; "She wants to act Lady Macbeth, but she is too young for the role"; "She played the servant to her husband's master" |
| ~ stooge | act as the stooge.; "His role was to stooge for the popular comedian" |
| ~ pantomime, mime | act out without words but with gestures and bodily movements only.; "The acting students mimed eating an apple" |
| ~ ham, ham it up, overact, overplay | exaggerate one's acting. |
| ~ underact, underplay | act (a role) with great restraint. |
| ~ act | be suitable for theatrical performance.; "This scene acts well" |
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