actorshipn.
/ˈaktəʃɪp/, U.S. /ˈæktərˌʃɪp/ The position or quality of a dramatic actor.
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society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > drama > actor > [noun] > condition or position of
actorship1602
1602 J. Marston Hist. Antonio & Mellida Induct. sig. A4 I was neuer worse fitted since the natiuitie of my Actorshippe: I shalt be hist at.
1773 in Private Corresp. Garrick (1831) I. 544 Worthy of your genius, (probably as equal in authorship, as it has been proved in actorship, to both the muses of the theatre).
1832 Rep. Sel. Comm. Dram. Lit. 25 If novelty were given in the shape of the regular drama, both as respects the authorship and the actorship, if I may use that word.
1840 E. B. Barrett Lett. R. H. Horne (1877) I. 17 Only you do more honour to the stage and the actorship than I could do.
1893 K. L. Bates Eng. Relig. Drama ii. 39 Bully Bottom and his fellows represent a later stage of citizen actorship.
1934 L. Hart Col. Lawrence iii. xvii. 258 The one ambition that survived was to be held in respect by men he could respect..he inclined to ascribe it to his actorship, and to wonder whether all fame was built on fraud.
2004 Film Q. Winter 58/1 Thomson engages actorship head on. I wish I could say that the resultant biographies were uniformly edifying.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, November 2010; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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