act
English meaning: Act
Definition
Something done, a deed.
Example
“an act of goodwill”
Another example: “Congress passed the act after months of debate.”
Usage — When, Where & How
Several senses: a deed or action ('a kind act'); a law passed by a legislature ('an Act of Parliament'); a section of a play; and a performance ('a comedy act'). As a verb, to act means to do something, to behave, or to perform. Extremely common in all registers.
Etymology & Origin
English — Origin & History
From Latin 'actus' (a doing) and 'actum' (a thing done), from 'agere' (to do, drive); entered English in the 14th century.
Related Words
- repealed
- amended
- enacted
- offence
- statute
- amendments
- provisions
- legislation
- parliament
- abolished
Common Collocations
- act of kindness
- caught in the act
- act of parliament
- get your act together
- act quickly
- balancing act
Word Forms
act (n & v); acts; acted; acting; action (n); active (adj)
Word Tools
Literary Heritage
“To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.”
/To thine own self be true/
“Be honest with yourself — and as naturally as night follows day, you will be unable to be false to others.”
“I'm nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody, too?”
/I'm nobody! Who are you?/
“I am nobody — and that quiet anonymity is more honest than the noise of public fame.”
Images
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Language information
- Language
- English
- English
- Script
- Latin
- Family
- Indo-European
- Speakers
- 1.5B