act
♦♦♦ act /'ækt/ (acts acting acted)
1 [VERB] V, V adv/prep
When you act, you do something for a particular purpose.
The deaths occurred when police acted to stop widespread looting and vandalism...
I do not doubt that the bank acted properly.
2 [VERB] V on/upon n
If you act on advice or information, you do what has been advised or suggested.
A patient will usually listen to the doctor's advice and act on it.
3 [VERB] V adv, V as if, V like n
If someone acts in a particular way, they behave in that way.
...a gang of youths who were acting suspiciously...
He acted as if he hadn't heard any of it...
Open wounds act like a magnet to flies.
= behave
4 [VERB] V as/like n
If someone or something acts as a particular thing, they have that role or function.
He acted both as the ship's surgeon and as chaplain for the men.
5 [VERB] V adj, V n
If someone acts in a particular way, they pretend to be something that they are not.
Chris acted astonished as he examined the note...
Kenworthy had tried not to act the policeman.
6 [VERB] V for n, V prep
When professionals such as lawyers act for you, or act on your behalf, they are employed by you to deal with a particular matter.
...the law firm that acted for Diana during her marriage split...
Because we travelled so much, Sam and I asked a broker to act on our behalf.
7 [VERB] V on/upon n
If a force or substance acts on someone or something, it has a certain effect on them.
He's taking a dangerous drug: it acts very fast on the central nervous system...
8 [VERB] V, V in n
If you act, or act a part in a play or film, you have a part in it.
She confessed to her parents her desire to act...
She acted in her first film when she was 13 years old.
9 [N-COUNT] oft N of n
An act is a single thing that someone does. (FORMAL)
Language interpretation is the whole point of the act of reading...
10 [N-SING]
If you say that someone's behaviour is an act, you mean that it does not express their real feelings.
His anger was real. It wasn't an act.
= pretence
11 [N-COUNT]
An Act is a law passed by the government.
...an Act of Parliament.
12 [N-COUNT] oft N num
An act in a play, opera, or ballet is one of the main parts into which it is divided.
Act II contained one of the funniest scenes I have ever witnessed...
13 [N-COUNT]
An act in a show is a short performance which is one of several in the show.
This year numerous bands are playing, as well as comedy acts...
14 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you catch someone in the act, you discover them doing something wrong or committing a crime.
The men were caught in the act of digging up buried explosives.
15 [PHRASE] V inflects
If someone who has been behaving badly cleans up their act, they start to behave in a more acceptable or responsible way. (INFORMAL)
The nation's advertisers need to clean up their act.
16 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you get in on the act, you take part in or take advantage of something that was started by someone else. (INFORMAL)
In the 1970s Kodak, anxious to get in on the act, launched its own instant camera.
17 [PHRASE] v-link PHR -ing
You say that someone was in the act of doing something to indicate what they were doing when they were seen or interrupted.
Ken was in the act of paying his bill when Neil came up behind him.
18 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you get your act together, you organize your life or your affairs so that you are able to achieve what you want or to deal with something effectively. (INFORMAL)
The Government should get its act together...
19
to act one's age: see age
to act the fool: see foolact of God (acts of God)
[N-COUNT]
An act of God is an event that is beyond human control, especially one in which something is damaged or someone is hurt.act out
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), also V n P
If you act out an event which has happened, you copy the actions which took place and make them into a play.
I used to come home and act out the movie for the kids.act up
1 [PHRASAL VERB] usu cont, V P
If something is acting up, it is not working properly. (INFORMAL)
She was messing with the coffee pot, which was acting up again.
= play up
2 [PHRASAL VERB] usu cont
If a child is acting up, they are behaving badly. (INFORMAL)
= play upbal|anc|ing act (balancing acts)
[N-COUNT] usu sing
If you perform a balancing act, you try to deal successfully with two or more people, groups, or situations that are in opposition to each other.
...a delicate balancing act between a career, a home, and motherhood.
= juggling actdou|ble act (double acts)
also double-act
[N-COUNT]
Two comedians or entertainers who perform together are referred to as a double act. Their performance can also be called a double act.
...a famous comedy double act...jug|gl|ing act (juggling acts)
[N-COUNT]
If you say that a situation is a juggling act, you mean that someone is trying to do two or more things at once, and that they are finding it difficult to do those things properly.
Trying to continue with a demanding career and manage a child or two is an impossible juggling act.
1 [VERB] V, V adv/prep
When you act, you do something for a particular purpose.
The deaths occurred when police acted to stop widespread looting and vandalism...
I do not doubt that the bank acted properly.
2 [VERB] V on/upon n
If you act on advice or information, you do what has been advised or suggested.
A patient will usually listen to the doctor's advice and act on it.
3 [VERB] V adv, V as if, V like n
If someone acts in a particular way, they behave in that way.
...a gang of youths who were acting suspiciously...
He acted as if he hadn't heard any of it...
Open wounds act like a magnet to flies.
= behave
4 [VERB] V as/like n
If someone or something acts as a particular thing, they have that role or function.
He acted both as the ship's surgeon and as chaplain for the men.
5 [VERB] V adj, V n
If someone acts in a particular way, they pretend to be something that they are not.
Chris acted astonished as he examined the note...
Kenworthy had tried not to act the policeman.
6 [VERB] V for n, V prep
When professionals such as lawyers act for you, or act on your behalf, they are employed by you to deal with a particular matter.
...the law firm that acted for Diana during her marriage split...
Because we travelled so much, Sam and I asked a broker to act on our behalf.
7 [VERB] V on/upon n
If a force or substance acts on someone or something, it has a certain effect on them.
He's taking a dangerous drug: it acts very fast on the central nervous system...
8 [VERB] V, V in n
If you act, or act a part in a play or film, you have a part in it.
She confessed to her parents her desire to act...
She acted in her first film when she was 13 years old.
9 [N-COUNT] oft N of n
An act is a single thing that someone does. (FORMAL)
Language interpretation is the whole point of the act of reading...
10 [N-SING]
If you say that someone's behaviour is an act, you mean that it does not express their real feelings.
His anger was real. It wasn't an act.
= pretence
11 [N-COUNT]
An Act is a law passed by the government.
...an Act of Parliament.
12 [N-COUNT] oft N num
An act in a play, opera, or ballet is one of the main parts into which it is divided.
Act II contained one of the funniest scenes I have ever witnessed...
13 [N-COUNT]
An act in a show is a short performance which is one of several in the show.
This year numerous bands are playing, as well as comedy acts...
14 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you catch someone in the act, you discover them doing something wrong or committing a crime.
The men were caught in the act of digging up buried explosives.
15 [PHRASE] V inflects
If someone who has been behaving badly cleans up their act, they start to behave in a more acceptable or responsible way. (INFORMAL)
The nation's advertisers need to clean up their act.
16 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you get in on the act, you take part in or take advantage of something that was started by someone else. (INFORMAL)
In the 1970s Kodak, anxious to get in on the act, launched its own instant camera.
17 [PHRASE] v-link PHR -ing
You say that someone was in the act of doing something to indicate what they were doing when they were seen or interrupted.
Ken was in the act of paying his bill when Neil came up behind him.
18 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you get your act together, you organize your life or your affairs so that you are able to achieve what you want or to deal with something effectively. (INFORMAL)
The Government should get its act together...
19
to act one's age: see age
to act the fool: see foolact of God (acts of God)
[N-COUNT]
An act of God is an event that is beyond human control, especially one in which something is damaged or someone is hurt.act out
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), also V n P
If you act out an event which has happened, you copy the actions which took place and make them into a play.
I used to come home and act out the movie for the kids.act up
1 [PHRASAL VERB] usu cont, V P
If something is acting up, it is not working properly. (INFORMAL)
She was messing with the coffee pot, which was acting up again.
= play up
2 [PHRASAL VERB] usu cont
If a child is acting up, they are behaving badly. (INFORMAL)
= play upbal|anc|ing act (balancing acts)
[N-COUNT] usu sing
If you perform a balancing act, you try to deal successfully with two or more people, groups, or situations that are in opposition to each other.
...a delicate balancing act between a career, a home, and motherhood.
= juggling actdou|ble act (double acts)
also double-act
[N-COUNT]
Two comedians or entertainers who perform together are referred to as a double act. Their performance can also be called a double act.
...a famous comedy double act...jug|gl|ing act (juggling acts)
[N-COUNT]
If you say that a situation is a juggling act, you mean that someone is trying to do two or more things at once, and that they are finding it difficult to do those things properly.
Trying to continue with a demanding career and manage a child or two is an impossible juggling act.