acta'bility

World English Dictionary

act (ækt)

—n
1.	something done or performed; a deed
2.	the performance of some physical or mental process; action
3.	(capital when part of a name) the formally codified result of deliberation by a legislative body; a law, edict, decree, statute, etc
4.	(often plural) a formal written record of transactions, proceedings, etc, as of a society, committee, or legislative body
5.	a major division of a dramatic work
6.	a. a short performance of skill, a comic sketch, dance, etc, esp one that is part of a programme of light entertainment
	b. those giving such a performance
7.	an assumed attitude or pose, esp one intended to impress
8.	philosophy Compare event an occurrence effected by the volition of a human agent, usually opposed at least as regards its explanation to one which is causally determined

—vb (foll by as)
9.	(intr) to do something; carry out an action
10.	(intr) to function in a specified way; operate; react: his mind acted quickly
11.	to perform (a part or role) in a play, etc
12.	(tr) to present (a play, etc) on stage
13.	(intr; usually foll by for or as) to be a substitute (for); function in place (of)
14.	to serve the function or purpose (of): the glass acted as protection
15.	(intr) to conduct oneself or behave (as if one were): she usually acts like a lady
16.	(intr) to behave in an unnatural or affected way
17.	(copula) to pose as; play the part of: to act the fool
18.	(copula) to behave in a manner appropriate to (esp in the phrase act one's age)
19.	not standard (copula) to seem or pretend to be: to act tired
20.	clean up one's act to start to behave in a responsible manner
21.	informal get in on the act to become involved in a profitable undertaking or advantageous situation in order to share in the benefits
22.	informal get one's act together to become organized or prepared

[C14: from Latin actus a doing, performance, and actum a thing done, from the past participle of agere to do]

'actable

—*adj*

acta'bility

—n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
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