Idioms for act

Origin of act

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English act(e) (from Middle French), from Latin ācta, plural of āctum “something done,” noun use of past participle of agere “to do” ( āg- past participle stem + -tum neuter past participle suffix); and directly from Latin āctus “a doing” ( āg- + -tus suffix of verbal action)

synonym study for act

1. See action.

OTHER WORDS FROM act

British Dictionary definitions for act on (1 of 4)

act on

act upon


verb (intr, preposition)

to regulate one's behaviour in accordance with (advice, information, etc)
to have an effect on (illness, a part of the body, etc)

British Dictionary definitions for act on (2 of 4)

ACT 1

abbreviation for

Australian Capital Territory
(formerly in Britain) advance corporation tax

British Dictionary definitions for act on (3 of 4)

ACT 2
/ (ækt) /

n acronym for

(in New Zealand) Association of Consumers and Taxpayers: a small political party of the right

British Dictionary definitions for act on (4 of 4)

act
/ (ækt) /

noun

verb

See also act on, act out, act up

Derived forms of act

actable, adjective actability, noun

Word Origin for act

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

Idioms and Phrases with act on (1 of 2)

act on

1

Also, act upon. Conduct oneself in accordance with or as a result of information or another action, as in I will act on my lawyer's advice, or The manager refused to act upon the hotel guest's complaints. [c. 1800]

2

Influence or affect, as in The baby's fussing acted on the sitter's nerves. [c. 1800]

Idioms and Phrases with act on (2 of 2)

act