Meaning

14 senses

  1. (intransitive)To do something.

    If you don’t act soon, you will be in trouble.

    handeln, tun, machen

    де́йствоватьdéjstvovatʹ, поступа́тьpostupátʹ, де́латьdélatʹ

    ді́ятиdíjaty, чини́тиčynýty

  2. (intransitive)To perform a theatrical role.

    I started acting at the age of eleven in my local theatre.

    spielen

    игра́тьigrátʹ, исполня́тьispolnjátʹ

    гра́тиhráty

    play a role or part

  3. (intransitive)Of a play: to be acted out (well or badly).

  4. (intransitive)To behave in a certain manner for an indefinite length of time.

    A dog which acts aggressively is likely to bite.

    I believe that Bill’s stuck-up because of the way that he acts.

    sich benehmen, sich verhalten

    вести́ себя́vestí sebjá, поступа́тьpostupátʹ, поступи́тьpostupítʹ

    пово́дитисяpovódytysja, вести́ себе́vestý sebé, поступа́тиpostupáty

    behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself

  5. (copulative)To convey an appearance of being.

    He acted unconcerned so the others wouldn’t worry.

    вести́ себя́vestí sebjá

  6. (intransitive)To do something that causes a change binding on the doer.

    act on behalf of John

  7. (intransitive)To have an effect (on).

    High-pressure oxygen acts on the central nervous system and may cause convulsions or death.

    Gravitational force acts on heavy bodies.

    wirken, agieren, auswirken

    возде́йствоватьvozdéjstvovatʹ, де́йствоватьdéjstvovatʹ, влия́тьvlijátʹ

    have an effect or outcome; often the one desired or expected

  8. (transitive)To play (a role).

    He’s been acting Shakespearean leads since he was twelve.

  9. (transitive)To feign.

    He acted the angry parent, but was secretly amused.

  10. (intransitive)To carry out work as a legal representative in relation to a particular legal matter.

    A lawyer cannot act until they have been formally instructed by their client.

    agieren

    де́йствоватьdéjstvovatʹ

    perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)

  11. (intransitive)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.

    This group acts on the circle, so it can't be left-orderable!

  12. (obsolete, transitive)To do (something); to perform.

    perform on a stage or theater

Examples

1884 sentences

  1. Don't act like you know everything.

    Не поводьтеся так, ніби ви все знаєте. — cbc_yall

    ruНе строй из себя всезнайку. — marafon

    deBenimm dich nicht so, als ob du alles wüsstest. — brauchinet

    CC BY 2.0 FR · Tatoeba · CK · A2Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  2. A true friend would've acted differently.

    Справжній друг діяв би інакше. — deniko

    ruНастоящий друг поступил бы по-другому. — Balamax

    CC BY 2.0 FR · Tatoeba · CK · A2Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  3. Children want to act like grown-ups.

    Діти хочуть поводитися, як дорослі. — deniko

    ruДети хотят подражать взрослым. — marafon

    deKinder wollen sich wie Erwachsene benehmen. — al_ex_an_der

    CC BY 2.0 FR · Tatoeba · CK · A2Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  4. I would act differently in your place.

    На твоєму місці я би поступив інакше. — deniko

    ruНа твоём месте я бы поступил по-другому. — Wezel

    deIch würde an deiner Stelle anders handeln. — toivo

    CC BY 2.0 FR · Tatoeba · CK · A2Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  5. He acted like he owned the place.

    Він поводився так, неначе він тут господар. — deniko

    ruОн вёл себя будто хозяин. — Biga

    deEr tat so, als würde ihm der Laden gehören. — Pfirsichbaeumchen

    CC BY 2.0 FR · Tatoeba · CK · A2Open on TatoebaReport a problem

Translations

8 languages
Українська
By meaning 3
to do something:
to perform a theatrical role:
to behave in a certain way:
Русский
By meaning 4
to do something:
to perform a theatrical role:
to behave in a certain way:
to have an effect on:
Deutsch
By meaning 4
to do something:
to perform a theatrical role:
to behave in a certain way:
to have an effect on:

Origin

From Middle English acte, from Old French acte, from Latin ācta (“register of events”), pl

From Middle English acte, from Old French acte, from Latin ācta (“register of events”), plural of āctum (“decree, law”), from agere (“to do, to act”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti. Compare German Akte (“file”). Partially displaced deed, from Old English dǣd (“act, deed”).

Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Forms

acts, acting, acted, acted
Base formact · to act
3rd person singularacts
Present participleacting
Past simpleacted
Past participleacted

regular · Lesson

Present simpleLesson

I, you, we, theyact
he, she, itacts

Past simpleLesson

all personsacted

Present perfectLesson

I, you, we, theyhave acted
he, she, ithas acted

Future simple (will)Lesson

all personswill act

Phrasal verbs

3 phrasal verbs

Synonyms

17 synonyms
Close in meaning

Antonyms

1 antonyms
refrain

Word family

37 related words
RelatedactionA1activeB1activatedeactivateactableactoracting
DerivedactressB1interactB1reactB1coactactabilityact againstact chickenact onact outact possumact upact uponautoreactbackreactcounteractcrossreactenactinterreactmisactoutactoveractoverreactplay-actpreact

Lessons for this word

3 lessons

Collocations

12 patterns
  • act like
  • act like a
  • acted as if
  • tried to act
  • an an act
  • act quickly
  • an act of
  • have to act
  • to act quickly
  • acted in self
  • act like nothing
  • need to act

See also

neighbours in the dictionary
acrossA2acrylicactingactionA1
act — meaning, examples, forms, synonyms | Krumeto