Analysis Complete

act

/ act /
noun/verb

Definitions & Examples

noun Sense 1
something that people do or cause to happen
Kinds of:
action nonaccomplishment nonachievement leaning motivation
Derived:
motivate actuate propel move prompt
verb Sense 2
be engaged in an activity, often for no particular purpose other than pleasure
Kinds of:
play drive around walk around
Derived:
action activity activeness
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s something
verb Sense 3
perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
"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"
Opposites:
refrain forbear
Kinds of:
alternate take turns finish up land up fetch up
Derived:
move action activity activeness human action
See also:
pursue follow up on act on act up carry on
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something with something
verb Sense 4
perform on a stage or theater
"She acts in this play"
"He acted in `Julius Caesar''"
"I played in `A Christmas Carol''"
Type of:
perform
Kinds of:
stooge mime pantomime overact ham it up
Derived:
barnstormer playactor play-actor trouper acting
Verb group:
play represent
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s something
Domain:
dramaturgy dramatic art dramatics
verb Sense 5
play a role or part
"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"
Type of:
re-create
Kinds of:
make pretend make believe support enact
Derived:
theatrical performance theatrical representation histrionics play
Verb group:
play act as roleplay playact
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody into V-ing something
Somebody ----s something with something
Domain:
performing arts
verb Sense 6
discharge one''s duties
"She acts as the chair"
"In what capacity are you acting?"
Type of:
serve
Kinds of:
criticize criticise bank
Derived:
actor doer worker
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s something with something
verb Sense 7
pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind
"He acted the idiot"
"She plays deaf when the news are bad"
Type of:
behave do
Verb group:
behave do play represent
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s something with something
verb Sense 8
behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself
"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"
Kinds of:
act involuntarily act reflexively fall over backwards bend over backwards presume
Verb group:
play act as dissemble pretend
See also:
act up
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody with something
noun Sense 9
a manifestation of insincerity
"he put on quite an act for her benefit"
Type of:
expression manifestation reflection
Derived:
dissemble pretend play act as
noun Sense 10
a subdivision of a play or opera or ballet
Type of:
dramatic composition dramatic work
Has parts:
play drama dramatic play
noun Sense 11
a short theatrical performance that is part of a longer program
"he did his act three times every evening"
"she had a catchy little routine"
"it was one of the best numbers he ever did"
Type of:
performance public presentation
Kinds of:
show-stopper showstopper stopper
Derived:
play roleplay playact represent
noun Sense 12
a legal document codifying the result of deliberations of a committee or society or legislative body
Type of:
legal document legal instrument official document
Kinds of:
decree edict fiat order rescript
Domain:
law jurisprudence
verb Sense 13
be suitable for theatrical performance
"This scene acts well"
Type of:
be
Derived:
routine number turn bit acting
Verb group:
play roleplay playact
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s something from somebody
verb Sense 14
have an effect or outcome; often the one desired or expected
"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 on"
Type of:
succeed win come through
Derived:
work piece of work
Verb group:
bring work play wreak make for
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something to somebody
verb Sense 15
behave unnaturally or affectedly
"She''s just acting"
Kinds of:
simulate assume sham feign
Derived:
imposter impostor pretender fake faker
Verb group:
behave do
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody into V-ing something
Semantic Complexity
100%
Sense Count
15
Total Synonyms
0
Total Relationships
143
Times Searched
2
Relationship Distribution

Word Relationship Graph

Synonyms Antonyms Hypernyms Hyponyms

Related Words

action nonaccomplishment nonachievement leaning motivation play drive around walk around alternate take turns finish up land up