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WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024ac•ton (ak′tən),USA pronunciation n. [Armor.]- Heraldrya quilted garment worn under mail in the 13th and 14th centuries;
gambeson. Also, ackton, aketon. - Arabic al-quṭun the cotton
- Spanish Arabic
- Old Spanish algodon
- Anglo-French aketoun, Old French a(u)queton
- Middle English 1250–1300
Ac•ton (ak′tən),USA pronunciation n. - Biographical Lord (John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton, 1st Baron), 1834–1902, English historian.
- World Historya former municipal borough in SE England, now part of the London borough of Ealing: center of Puritanism at the time of Cromwell.
- Place Namesa city in NE Massachusetts. 17,544.
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024-act-, root. - -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.
act /ækt/USA pronunciation n. [countable]- 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.
- 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- 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.
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 © 2024act (akt),USA pronunciation n. - 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
act. - acting.
- active.
- actor.
- actual.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: Acton /ˈæktən/ n - John Emerich Edward Dalberg, 1st Baron. 1834–1902, English historian: a proponent of Christian liberal ethics and adviser of Gladstone
- his grandfather, Sir John Francis Edward. 1736–1811, European naval commander and statesman: admiral of Tuscany (1774–79) and Naples (1779 onwards) and chief minister of Naples (1779–1806)
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: act on, act upon vb (intr, preposition)- to regulate one's behaviour in accordance with (advice, information, etc)
- to have an effect on (illness, a part of the body, etc)
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