Webster's English Dictionary

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act

Cross references:
  1. action                
 
1. act \'akt\ n [ME, partly fr. L actus doing, act, fr. actus, pp. of agere 
   t]o drive, do; partly fr. L actum thing done, record, fr. neut. of actus, 
   pp. - more at AGENT 1a: a thing done : DEED  1b: something done by a person 
   pursuant to his volition  2: a state of real existence rather than 
   possibility  often cap  3: the formal product of a legislative body : 
   STATUTE; also :: a decision or determination of a sovereign, a legislative 
   council, or a court of justice 4: the process of doing  often cap  5: a 
   formal record of something done or transacted  6a: one of the principal 
   divisions of a play or opera  6b: one of the successive parts of a variety 
   show or circus  6c: a display of affected insincere behavior : PRETENSE 
2. act \.ak-t*-'bil-*t-e-\ \'ak-t*-b*l\ vt obs  1: ACTUATE, ANIMATE  2a: to 
   represent or perform by action esp. on the stage  2b: FEIGN, SIMULATE  2c: 
   IMPERSONATE  3: to play the part of as if in a play {~ the man of the 
   world}  4: to behave in a manner suitable to {~ your age}  1a: to perform 
   on the stage  1b: to behave as if performing on the stage : PRETEND  2: to 
   take action : MOVE {think before ~ing}  3: to conduct oneself : BEHAVE {~ 
   like a fool}  4: to perform a specified function : SERVE {trees ~ing)X as a 
   windbreak} 5: to produce an effect : WORK {wait for a medicine to ~> 6: of 
   a play : to be capable of being performed  7: to give a decision or award  
   - act.abil.i.ty n