Australian Capital Territory (formerly in Britain) advance corporation tax
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
(in New Zealand) Association of Consumers and Taxpayers: a small political party of the right
-act-, root.
v.
Idioms in the act of, in the process of:was caught in the act of climbing out the window. See -act-.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- -act- comes from Latin, where it has the meaning "to do, move''. It is related to the root -ag-. This meaning is found in such words as: act, action, exact, inexact, transact.
- anything done or to be done;
deed:an act of mercy. - the process of doing: caught in the act.
- Government[sometimes: Act] a formal decision, law, or the like;
a decree or edict:an act of Congress. - Show Businessone of the main divisions of a play or opera: a drama in three acts.
-
- Show Businessa short performance by one or more entertainers, usually part of a variety show, circus, etc.:an acrobatic act.
- a display of insincere behavior assumed for effect;
pretense:[usually singular]Her apology was all an act.
v.
- [no object] to do something;
carry out an action. - to reach or issue a decision on some matter:[no object* (~ + on + object)]Congress failed to act (on the tax bill).
- [no obj] to operate or function in a particular way:acted as manager.
- to produce an effect: The medicine failed to act.
- to conduct oneself in a particular fashion: [no object]acted foolishly.[~ + object]to act one's age.
- [no obj] to pretend;
feign:was just acting and wasn't really sorry. - Show Businessto perform as an actor: [no object]has acted on Broadway.[~ + object]to act Macbeth.
- act on or upon, [~ + on/upon + object]
- to act in accordance with;
follow:will act on (upon) your wishes immediately. - to have an effect on;
affect:The aspirin acted on the pain.
- to act in accordance with;
- act out,
- [ ~ + out + obj] to show or express by gestures or actions:He acted out his frustrations by throwing things.
- to perform: [ ~ + out + obj]:The students acted out the roles in the play.[ ~ + obj + out]:to act the roles out.
- act up, [no object]
- to fail to function properly:The car's transmission is acting up.
- to behave willfully:The tired, cranky child acted up during the wedding.
- (of a recurring ailment) to become troublesome:His rheumatism is acting up.
- Idioms clean up one's act, to begin to behave in a more socially acceptable way.
- Idioms get or have one's act together, to behave or function responsibly and efficiently.
act
(akt),USA pronunciation n.
v.i.
v.t.
ACT,
- anything done, being done, or to be done;
deed;
performance:a heroic act. - the process of doing:caught in the act.
- Governmenta formal decision, law, or the like, by a legislature, ruler, court, or other authority;
decree or edict;
statute;
judgment, resolve, or award:an act of Congress. - an instrument or document stating something done or transacted.
- Show Businessone of the main divisions of a play or opera:the second act ofHamlet.
- Show Businessa short performance by one or more entertainers, usually part of a variety show or radio or television program.
- Show Businessthe personnel of such a group:The act broke up after 30 years.
- false show;
pretense;
feint:The politician's pious remarks were all an act. - Philosophy(in scholasticism)
- activity in process;
operation. - the principle or power of operation.
- form as determining essence.
- a state of realization, as opposed to potentiality.
- activity in process;
- clean up one's act, [Informal.]to begin adhering to more acceptable practices, rules of behavior, etc.:The factory must clean up its act and treat its employees better.
- get or have one's act together, [Informal.]to organize one's time, job, resources, etc., so as to function efficiently:The new administration is still getting its act together.
v.i.
- to do something;
exert energy or force;
be employed or operative:He acted promptly in the emergency. - to reach, make, or issue a decision on some matter:I am required to act before noon tomorrow.
- to operate or function in a particular way;
perform specific duties or functions:to act as manager. - to produce an effect;
perform a function:The medicine failed to act. - to behave or conduct oneself in a particular fashion:to act well under all conditions.
- to pretend;
feign:Act interested even if you're bored. - Show Businessto perform as an actor:He acted in three plays by Molière.
- Show Businessto be capable of being performed:His plays don't act well.
- to serve or substitute (usually fol. by for):In my absence the assistant manager will act for me.
v.t.
- Show Businessto represent (a fictitious or historical character) with one's person:to act Macbeth.
- to feign;
counterfeit:to act outraged virtue. - to behave as:He acted the fool.
- [Obs.]to actuate.
- act funny, to display eccentric or suspicious behavior.
- act on or upon:
- to act in accordance with;
follow:He acted on my advice. - to have an effect on;
affect:The stirring music acted on the emotions of the audience.
- to act in accordance with;
- act one's age, to behave in a manner appropriate to one's maturity:We children enjoyed our uncle because he didn't always act his age.
- act out:
- to demonstrate or illustrate by pantomime or by words and gestures:The party guests acted out stories for one another.
- Psychologyto give overt expression to (repressed emotions or impulses) without insightful understanding:The patients acted out early traumas by getting angry with the analyst.
- act up:
- to fail to function properly;
malfunction:The vacuum cleaner is acting up again. - to behave willfully:The children always act up in school the day before a holiday.
- to become painful or troublesome, esp. after a period of improvement or remission:My arthritis is acting up again this morning.
- to fail to function properly;
- Latin āctus a doing (āg- + -tus suffix of verb, verbal action)
- Latin ācta, plural of āctum something done, noun, nominal use of past participle of agere to do (āg- past participle stem + -tum neuter past participle suffix); and directly
- Middle French)
- Middle English act(e) (1350–1400
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged feat, exploit; achievement; transaction; accomplishment. See action.
- 4.See corresponding entry in Unabridged record.
- 6.See corresponding entry in Unabridged turn, routine.
- 11.See corresponding entry in Unabridged –15. perform, function, work.
- 17, 18.See corresponding entry in Unabridged play.
ACT,
- American College Test.
- EducationAssociation of Classroom Teachers.
- Australian Capital Territory.
- acting.
- active.
- actor.
- actual.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
something done or performed; a deed the performance of some physical or mental process; action - (capital when part of a name)
the formally codified result of deliberation by a legislative body; a law, edict, decree, statute, etc - (often plural)
a formal written record of transactions, proceedings, etc, as of a society, committee, or legislative body a major division of a dramatic work a short performance of skill, a comic sketch, dance, etc, esp one that is part of a programme of light entertainment those giving such a performance an assumed attitude or pose, esp one intended to impress an occurrence effected by the volition of a human agent, usually opposed at least as regards its explanation to one which is causally determined
Compareevent 4
- (intransitive)
to do something; carry out an action - (intransitive)
to function in a specified way; operate; react: his mind acted quickly to perform (a part or role) in a play, etc - (transitive)
to present (a play, etc) on stage - (intr; usually followed by for or as)
to be a substitute (for); function in place (of) - (intransitive) followed by as:
to serve the function or purpose (of) - (intransitive)
to conduct oneself or behave (as if one were): she acts like a teenager - (intransitive)
to behave in an unnatural or affected way - (copula)
to pose as; play the part of: to act the fool - (copula)
to behave in a manner appropriate to (esp in the phrase act one's age) - get in on the act ⇒
to become involved in a profitable undertaking or advantageous situation in order to share in the benefits - get one's act together ⇒
to become organized or prepared
'ACT' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
A, a
- abatement
- abbreviation
- abdication
- abduction
- aberration
- abidance
- abide
- ability
- abjection
- abjuration
- able
- ablution
- abolition
- abrasion
- abridgment
- abrogate
- abscission
- absolution
- absolve
- absorption
- abstention
- abstinence
- abstraction
- abuttal
- acceleration
- accentuation
- acceptance
- acceptancy
- access
- accession
- accessory
- acclaim
- acclamation
- accommodation
- accomplishment
- accordance
- account for
- accouplement
- accrual
- accumulation
- accusation
- achievement
- acknowledgment
- acquiescence
- acquirement
- acquisition
- acquittal
- acquittance
- act call