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 out (1 of 4)

act out

verb (adverb)

(tr) to reproduce (an idea, former event, etc) in actions, often by mime
psychiatry to express unconsciously (a repressed impulse or experience) in overt behaviour

British Dictionary definitions for act out (2 of 4)

ACT 1

abbreviation for

Australian Capital Territory
(formerly in Britain) advance corporation tax

British Dictionary definitions for act out (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 out (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 out (1 of 2)

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.”

Idioms and Phrases with act out (2 of 2)

act