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act
/ækt/
a thing done
She performed an act of kindness by helping the old lady cross the street.
She did something kind by helping the old lady cross the street.
general
a thing done, especially as an action or deed
His act of bravery saved several lives during the fire.
His courageous action saved several lives during the fire.
Can refer to a single action or a series of actions.
Law
formal
a formal or official action taken by a government or organization
The new act was passed by Congress to regulate environmental standards.
The new law was approved by Congress to set environmental regulations.
In legal contexts, an 'act' is a formal document that establishes a law.
informal
a performance or show, especially in theater or entertainment
The comedian's act was hilarious and kept the audience laughing all night.
The comedian's performance was very funny and entertained the audience.
In this context, 'act' refers to a performance or routine.
general
to behave in a certain way or perform an action
He acted quickly to prevent the accident.
He performed an action quickly to prevent the accident.
As a verb, 'act' means to do something or behave in a certain way.
Collocations
act of kindnessa kind deedact of Godan event beyond human control, like a natural disasteract outto behave in a dramatic or exaggerated wayact upto misbehave or malfunction
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Noun vs. Verb
Remember that 'act' can be both a noun (an action) and a verb (to perform an action). The context will help you determine which meaning is intended.
Gold Rule
Context Matters
The meaning of 'act' depends heavily on the context. In legal contexts, it refers to a formal document, while in entertainment, it refers to a performance.
Word Origin
From Middle English 'acte', from Latin 'actus', meaning 'a doing, a driving, a thing done', from 'agere' meaning 'to do, drive, act'.
Usage Notes
The word 'act' can be both a noun and a verb. As a noun, it refers to an action or deed. As a verb, it means to perform an action or behave in a certain way.
Word Breakdown
act
to do or perform
rootEnglish Dictionary