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Pronunciation Guide
HOW TO PRONOUNCE

act

/ækt/

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What does act mean?

noun

  1. Something done, a deed.
  2. Something done once and for all, as distinguished from a work.
  3. A product of a legislative body, a statute.
More meanings (34)

noun

  1. (In the United States) A legislative proposal, a bill that has not yet become law.
  2. The process of doing something.
  3. A formal or official record of something done.
  4. A division of a theatrical performance.
  5. A performer or performers in a show.
  6. Any organized activity.
  7. A display of behaviour.
  8. A display of behaviour meant to deceive.
  9. A thesis maintained in public, in some English universities, by a candidate for a degree, or to show the proficiency of a student.
  10. Ellipsis of act of parliament.
  11. A regulation (see Usage notes).
  12. An instance of a certain standardized college admissions test in the United States, originally called the American College Test.
  13. Acronym of acceptance and commitment therapy.
  14. Ellipsis of Act of Parliament.
  15. (obsolete) Actuality.

verb

  1. To do something.
  2. To perform a theatrical role.
  3. Of a play: to be acted out (well or badly).
  4. To behave in a certain manner for an indefinite length of time.
  5. To convey an appearance of being.
  6. To do something that causes a change binding on the doer.
  7. To have an effect (on).
  8. To play (a role).
  9. To feign.
  10. To carry out work as a legal representative in relation to a particular legal matter.
  11. To possess an action onto (some other structure). Examples include the group action of a group on a set, the action of a ring on a module by scalar multiplication, and the action of a group or algebra on a vector space via a representation.
  12. (obsolete) To do (something); to perform.
  13. (obsolete) To move to action; to actuate; to animate.
  14. (obsolete) To enact; to decree.

adverb

  1. Clipping of actually.

proper noun

  1. Initialism of the Australian Capital Territory: a federal territory of Australia.
  2. Initialism of American College Test.
  3. Initialism of Association of Consumers and Taxpayers, a political party of New Zealand.
  4. ACT New Zealand, a liberal conservative political party in New Zealand.
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Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0

IPA pronunciation

/ækt/

Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗

Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.

In the pages of books

See this word in context.

In some instances, as has been shown, the powers of the new government will act on the States in their collective characters.
Alexander Hamilton; John Jay; James MadisonThe Federalist PapersProject Gutenberg ebook #18
It occurred to him that to find Pennyways, and make a friend of him if possible, would be a very wise act.
Thomas HardyFar from the Madding CrowdProject Gutenberg ebook #27
More book examples (3)
During the balcony singing in the second act the doctor’s thoughts were as far away from Moonstone as the singer’s doubtless were.
Willa CatherThe Song of the LarkProject Gutenberg ebook #44
This last act Hepzibah now performed, letting the bar fall with what smote upon her excited nerves as a most astounding clatter.
Nathaniel HawthorneThe House of the Seven GablesProject Gutenberg ebook #77
Then again the kindly influence ceased to act—I found myself fettered again to grief and indulging in all the misery of reflection.
Mary Wollstonecraft ShelleyFrankenstein; or, the modern prometheusProject Gutenberg ebook #84