act
- noun
- /ækt/
- In the third act, it happen.
- first act
- second act
- final act
We're going to do the entire second act as walruses.
- We're going to do the entire second act as walruses.
- And so, but then the third act shocks me.
- We're between the first act and the second act and there's no rush.
- On breaks this one reads Four Saints in three Acts by Stein.
- It's a scene in the last act of the play.
- If you see a pistol in the first act and the third will be fired.
- The the ACT ends with a couplet.
- OK, so and apparently it was really a three act play where I you were.
- But with act three, it's seen a ton of rework.
Examples
-
It's a scene in the last act of the play.
-
We're between the first act and the second act and there's no rush.
-
OK, This is what Act One looks like.
-
OK, This is what Act one looks like.
-
The second act needs work.
-
The third act of that script was awful.
-
Each of these themes is organized in three acts similar to those in a play.
Academic text (2008) -
Oh, this is the third act of that Pixar movie.
-
Ladies and gentlemen, the last act of the evening, Alpha Chiro.
-
The director praised the cast for their performance in the act that depicted the tragic climax of the story.
Idioms
- Offensive
To behave in a greedy and messy way, often when eating with others
- Offensive
Behave in a very dramatic, demanding way to get special treatment
- Informal
To be organized, prepared, and able to manage tasks and problems
- Offensive
To wait for someone else to have a problem so you can gain from it
- Offensive
Behave loudly and show off, for example by shouting or flashing money in Britain
- Offensive
To behave loudly and show off to impress other people in an annoying way
- Offensive
To behave rudely and foolishly in a way that annoys or embarrasses people
- Offensive
Behave in a sad, lonely way that makes you look awkward with other people
- Offensive
Behave in a very rude and thoughtless way that upsets other people
- Offensive
To behave in a silly way without thinking when nervous or tired
- Offensive
Behave in a rude, annoying, and foolish way toward other people
Compounds
- Informal
A situation of managing two or more important things at the same time, like work and family
- Specialized
A natural event like a flood or earthquake that cannot be prevented by people
- NSFW
Planned violent action to make people afraid for political, religious or other ideas
- NSFW
A violent act against ordinary people to frighten others for political, religious or other beliefs
- Informal
A situation where a person manages several important tasks at once, often with difficulty
A United States law that requires courts to approve spying on foreign people or groups
- Formal
A U.S. federal law that punishes organized crime and lets authorities seize money and property
A law that puts a paid official stamp on newspapers and legal papers in the American colonies which causes protests
A United States law that makes workplaces safer by setting safety rules and making sure employers follow them
United States law from 1970 used to fight organized crime by giving stronger punishments
- Formal
Former US law that let manufacturers require shops to sell goods at a minimum price
- Offensive
A nickname for a law that extends copyright to help large media companies like Disney
- UK
A former English law that required crowds to leave when a local official read a formal announcement
How Long
Surface Forms
Etymology
Act comes from the Latin actus, meaning 'a doing' or 'movement'. So in a play an act is a main part of the story — a big 'doing' or section of the drama.