English verb: act | |||
1. | act (social) perform an action, or work out or perform (an action) | ||
Samples | Think before you act. We must move quickly. The governor should act on the new energy bill. The nanny acted quickly by grabbing the toddler and covering him with a wet towel. | ||
Synonyms | move | ||
Pattern of use | Something ----s. Somebody ----s. Somebody ----s PP | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | acquit, act on, act superior, aggress, alternate, antagonise, antagonize, anticipate, approach, assay, attack, attempt, bear, begin, behave, behave, carry, coact, come close, come forward, come out, come to the fore, commit, comport, comport, condescend, condescend, condescend, conduct, contend, continue, continue, continue, cope, counter, counteract, court, court, create, dally, dare, dare, deal, deal, deign, deport, descend, dispatch, disturb, do well, effect, egotrip, end up, engage, essay, evade, exert, festinate, fetch up, finish, finish up, flirt, force, foresee, forestall, get around to, get by, go, go about, go ahead, go along, go off at half-cock, go off half-cocked, go on, grapple, guard, had best, hasten, hold back, hold off, hurry, interact, interrupt, keep, land up, look sharp, lord it over, lower oneself, make a point, make bold, make do, make out, make sure, manage, maneuver, manoeuver, manoeuvre, misbehave, misconduct, misdemean, move, offer, oppose, participate, partner, pay back, perform, perpetrate, persist in, play, play, play, play it by ear, plow ahead, presume, proceed, proceed, prosecute, prosecute, pull, pursue, put on airs, queen it over, race, rampage, react, react, reciprocate, repay, repeat, respond, reward, romance, rush, satisfice, satisfise, seek, set about, sneak, solicit, stampede, start, step forward, step to the fore, step up, stoop, surprise, take, take care, take over, take part, take time by the forelock, take turns, toy, try, use, volunteer, wait, wind up, woo | ||
Antonyms | refrain, forbear | ||
2. | act (body) behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself | ||
Samples | You should act like an adult. Don't behave like a fool. What makes her do this way?. The dog acts ferocious, but he is really afraid of people. | ||
Synonyms | behave, do | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s. Somebody ----s Adjective | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | act, act as, act involuntarily, act reflexively, backslap, bend over backwards, bluster, break down, bungle, dally, dawdle, fall over backwards, follow, footle, freeze, frivol, hugger mugger, jest, joke, loosen up, lose it, make, make, make as if, menace, optimise, optimize, piffle, play, play, presume, puff up, quack, rage, ramp, relax, romanticize, sauce, sentimentalise, sentimentalize, sentimentise, sentimentize, snap, stooge, storm, swagger, swash, swell, toy, trifle, vulgarise, vulgarize, wanton | ||
Verb group | act, act, act as, dissemble, play, pretend | ||
3. | act (creation) play a role or part | ||
Samples | Gielgud played Hamlet. She wants to act Lady Macbeth, but she is too young for the role. She played the servant to her husband's master. | ||
Synonyms | play, represent | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s. Somebody ----s something. Somebody ----s somebody | ||
Broader (hypernym) | re-create | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | act out, act out, emote, enact, impersonate, make, make believe, parody, portray, pretend, reenact, support | ||
Verb group | act, act, act as, play, play, play, playact, roleplay | ||
Domain category | performing arts | ||
4. | act (competition) discharge one's duties | ||
Samples | She acts as the chair. In what capacity are you acting?. | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s PP | ||
Broader (hypernym) | serve | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | bank, criticise, criticize | ||
5. | act (body) pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind | ||
Samples | He acted the idiot. She plays deaf when the news are bad. | ||
Synonyms | act as, play | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s somebody | ||
Broader (hypernym) | act, behave, do | ||
Verb group | act, act, behave, do, play, represent | ||
6. | act (stative) be suitable for theatrical performance | ||
Samples | This scene acts well. | ||
Pattern of use | Something ----s Adjective/Noun | ||
Broader (hypernym) | be | ||
Verb group | act, play, playact, roleplay | ||
7. | act (social) have an effect or outcome; often the one desired or expected | ||
Samples | The voting process doesn't work as well as people thought. How does your idea work in practice?. This method doesn't work. The breaks of my new car act quickly. The medicine works only if you take it with a lot of water. | ||
Synonyms | work | ||
Pattern of use | Something ----s. Something is ----ing PP | ||
Broader (hypernym) | bring home the bacon, come through, deliver the goods, succeed, win | ||
Verb group | bring, make for, play, work, wreak | ||
8. | act (social) be engaged in an activity, often for no particular purpose other than pleasure | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | drive around, play, walk around | ||
9. | act (creation) behave unnaturally or affectedly | ||
Samples | She's just acting. | ||
Synonyms | dissemble, pretend | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s. Somebody ----s something | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | assume, feign, sham, simulate | ||
Verb group | act, behave, do | ||
10. | act (creation) perform on a stage or theater | ||
Samples | She acts in this play. He acted in `Julius Caesar'. I played in `A Christmas Carol'. | ||
Synonyms | play, playact, roleplay | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s | ||
Broader (hypernym) | perform | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | ham, ham it up, mime, overact, overplay, pantomime, stooge, underact, underplay | ||
Verb group | act, act, play, play, play, represent | ||
Domain category | dramatic art, dramatics, dramaturgy, theater, theatre | ||