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act out

 - 7 dictionary results

act

  [akt]
Use act out in a Sentence
–noun
1. anything done, being done, or to be done; deed; performance: a heroic act.
2. the process of doing: caught in the act.
3. a formal decision, law, or the like, by a legislature, ruler, court, or other authority; decree or edict; statute; judgment, resolve, or award: an act of Congress.
4. an instrument or document stating something done or transacted.
5. one of the main divisions of a play or opera: the second act of Hamlet.
6. a short performance by one or more entertainers, usually part of a variety show or radio or television program.
7. the personnel of such a group: The act broke up after 30 years.
8. false show; pretense; feint: The politician's pious remarks were all an act.
9. Philosophy. (in scholasticism)
a. activity in process; operation.
b. the principle or power of operation.
c. form as determining essence.
d. a state of realization, as opposed to potentiality.
–verb (used without object)
10. to do something; exert energy or force; be employed or operative: He acted promptly in the emergency.
11. to reach, make, or issue a decision on some matter: I am required to act before noon tomorrow.
12. to operate or function in a particular way; perform specific duties or functions: to act as manager.
13. to produce an effect; perform a function: The medicine failed to act.
14. to behave or conduct oneself in a particular fashion: to act well under all conditions.
15. to pretend; feign: Act interested even if you're bored.
16. to perform as an actor: He acted in three plays by Molière.
17. to be capable of being performed: His plays don't act well.
18. to serve or substitute (usually fol. by for): In my absence the assistant manager will act for me.
–verb (used with object)
19. to represent (a fictitious or historical character) with one's person: to act Macbeth.
20. to feign; counterfeit: to act outraged virtue.
21. to behave as: He acted the fool.
22. Obsolete. to actuate.
—Verb phrases
23. act on or upon,
a. to act in accordance with; follow: He acted on my advice.
b. to have an effect on; affect: The stirring music acted on the emotions of the audience.
24. act out,
a. to demonstrate or illustrate by pantomime or by words and gestures: The party guests acted out stories for one another.
b. Psychology. to give overt expression to (repressed emotions or impulses) without insightful understanding: The patients acted out early traumas by getting angry with the analyst.
25. act up,
a. to fail to function properly; malfunction: The vacuum cleaner is acting up again.
b. to behave willfully: The children always act up in school the day before a holiday.
c. to become painful or troublesome, esp. after a period of improvement or remission: My arthritis is acting up again this morning.
26. get or have one's act together, Informal. to organize one's time, job, resources, etc., so as to function efficiently: The new administration is still getting its act together.
—Idioms
27. act funny, to display eccentric or suspicious behavior.
28. act one's age, to behave in a manner appropriate to one's maturity: We children enjoyed our uncle because he didn't always act his age.
29. clean up one's act, Informal. to begin adhering to more acceptable practices, rules of behavior, etc.: The factory must clean up its act and treat its employees better.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME act(e) (< MF) < L ācta, pl. of āctum something done, n. use of ptp. of agere to do (āg- ptp. s. + -tum neut. ptp. suffix); and directly < L āctus a doing (āg- + -tus suffix of v. action)

Synonyms:
1. feat, exploit; achievement; transaction; accomplishment. See action. 4. record. 6. turn, routine. 23–13. perform, function, work. 15, 16. play.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To act out
act   (ākt)   
n.  

  1. The process of doing or performing something: the act of thinking.

  2. Something done or performed; a deed: a charitable act.

  3. A product, such as a statute, decree, or enactment, resulting from a decision by a legislative or judicial body: an act of Congress.

  4. A formal written record of proceedings or transactions.

  5. One of the major divisions of a play or opera.

    1. A performance or entertainment usually forming part of a longer presentation: a juggling act; a magic act.

    2. The actor or actors presenting such a performance: joined the act in Phoenix.

  7. A manifestation of intentional or unintentional insincerity; a pose: put on an act.

v.   act·ed, act·ing, acts

v.   tr.

  1. To play the part of; assume the dramatic role of: She plans to act Lady Macbeth in summer stock.

  2. To perform (a role) on the stage: act the part of the villain.

    1. To behave like or pose as; impersonate: Don't act the fool.

    2. To behave in a manner suitable for: Act your age.

v.   intr.

  1. To behave or comport oneself: She acts like a born leader.

  2. To perform in a dramatic role or roles.

  3. To be suitable for theatrical performance: This scene acts well.

  4. To behave affectedly or unnaturally; pretend.

  5. To appear or seem to be: The dog acted ferocious.

  6. To carry out an action: We acted immediately. The governor has not yet acted on the bill.

  7. To operate or function in a specific way: His mind acts quickly.

  8. To serve or function as a substitute for another: A coin can act as a screwdriver.

  9. To produce an effect: waited five minutes for the anesthetic to act.

    1. To perform in or as if in a play; represent dramatically: act out a story.

    2. To realize in action: wanted to act out his theory.

  11. To express (unconscious impulses, for example) in an overt manner without conscious understanding or regard for social appropriateness.

  12. To misbehave.

  13. To malfunction.

  14. Informal To become active or troublesome after a period of quiescence: My left knee acts up in damp weather. Her arthritis is acting up again.

Phrasal Verb(s):
act out

    1. To perform in or as if in a play; represent dramatically: act out a story.

    2. To realize in action: wanted to act out his theory.

  2. To express (unconscious impulses, for example) in an overt manner without conscious understanding or regard for social appropriateness.

act up

  1. To misbehave.

  2. To malfunction.

  3. Informal To become active or troublesome after a period of quiescence: My left knee acts up in damp weather. Her arthritis is acting up again.


Idiom(s):
be in on the actTo be included in an activity.

Idiom(s):
clean up (one's) act Slang To improve one's behavior or performance.

Idiom(s):
get into the actTo insert oneself into an ongoing activity, project, or situation.

Idiom(s):
get (one's) act together Slang To get organized.

[Middle English, from Old French acte, from Latin āctus, a doing, and āctum, a thing done, both from past participle of agere, to drive, do; see ag- in Indo-European roots.]
ac'ta·bil'i·ty n., act'a·ble adj.
Usage Note: The words act and action both mean "a deed" and "the process of doing." However, other senses of act, such as "a decision made by a legislative body" and of action, such as "habitual or vigorous activity" show that act tends to refer to a deed while action tends to refer to the process of doing. Thus, people engage in sex acts but not sex actions. By the same token, a person may want a piece of the action, but not a piece of the act. The demands of meaning or idiom will often require one word or the other. But in some cases either can be used: my act (or action) was premature.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

act  (n.)
c.1384, from O.Fr. acte, from L. actus "a doing" and actum "a thing done," both from agere "to do, set in motion, drive, urge, chase, stir up," from PIE root *ag- "to drive, draw out or forth, move" (cf. Gk. agein "to lead, guide, drive, carry off," agon "assembly, contest in the games," agogos "leader;" Skt. ajati "drives," ajirah "moving, active;" O.N. aka "to drive;" M.Ir. ag "battle"). Theatrical (1520) and legislative (1458) senses of the word also were in Latin. The verb is first attested 1475; in the theatrical performance sense it is from 1594. In the act "in the process" is from 1596, originally from the 16c. sense of the act as "sexual intercourse." Act of God "uncontrollable natural force" first recorded 1882. To act out "behave anti-socially" (1974) is from psychiatric sense of "expressing one's unconscious impulses or desires."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: 2act
Function: intransitive verb
1 : to carry into effect a determination of the will : take action
2 : to discharge the duties of a specified office or post : perform a specified function —used with a prepositional phrase act as President —U.S. Constitution article II>
3 : to give a decision or award (as by vote of a deliberative body or by judicial decree) —often used with on acted on> —ac·tor /'ak-t&r/ noun
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: act
Function: abbreviation
active

Main Entry: act out
Pronunciation: (')akt-'aut
Function: transitive verb
: to express (as an impulse or a fantasy) directly in overt behavior withoutmodification to comply with social norms <act out an adolescent fantasy>
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Idioms & Phrases

act out

  1. Perform or portray something or someone, as in As she read to the class, the teacher had each child act out a different character in the story. [c. 1600]

  2. Express unconscious feelings or impulses through one's behavior, without being aware of it. For example, She acted out her anger at her father by screaming at her husband. This meaning comes from 20th-century psychological theory and usually (but not always) refers to negative or hostile impulses and emotions. The term is sometimes used without an object to mean "misbehave" or "behave disruptively," as in The child is acting out in class. [First half of 1900s] In both usages, out means "openly" or "publicly."

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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