act

I

(New American Roget's College Thesaurus)

n. & v. See action, drama, conduct, affectation, representation, rule.

II

(Roget's IV) n.

1. [An action]

Syn. action, deed, performance, exploit; see action 2 .

2. [An official or legal statement]

Syn. law, proposal, judgment, commitment, verdict, amendment, order, announcement, edict, ordinance, decree, statute, writ, bull, warrant, summons, subpoena, document, bill, code, clause, law of the land*.

3. [A division of a play]

Syn. scene, curtain, prologue, epilogue, introduction, entr'acte, interlude, finale, unit of dramatic action.

4. [A short performance in a show]

Syn. routine, performance, number, bit, sketch, skit, monologue, curtain raiser, appearance, turn, stand-up routine, shtick*.

5. [A pose]

Syn. falsification, feigning, affectation, pose; see pose , pretense 1 .

v.

1. [To perform an action]

Syn. do, execute, carry out, carry on, perform, operate, transact, accomplish, achieve, consummate, carry into effect, perpetrate, persevere, persist, labor, work, run, function, officiate, preside, serve, go ahead, take action, go about, step into, take steps, play a part, take a part, begin, move, proceed, enforce, maneuver, be in process, be in action, create, practice, deal in, prosecute, develop, make progress, be active, take effect, produce an effect, commit, fight, combat, respond, keep going, answer, pursue, put forth energy, hustle*, get going*, pull*, do one's stuff*, get down to brass tacks*; see also perform 1 .

Ant. wait*, await, rest.

2. [To conduct oneself]

Syn. behave, seem, appear, carry oneself, acquit oneself, comport oneself, bear oneself, handle oneself, demean oneself, give the appearance of, represent oneself as, take on, play one's part, impress one as, cut a figure*; see also behave 2 .

3. [To play a role in or as if in a play]

Syn. perform, play, playact, impersonate, personate, represent, enact, act out, simulate, live over, pretend, mimic, mime, pantomime, burlesque, parody, feign, fake, portray, render the role of, create a role, rehearse, take a part, dramatize, star, spout, rant, declaim, overact, play the part of, act the part of, make one's debut, masquerade as, put on airs*, put on an act*, tread the boards*, strut one's stuff*, ham*, emote*, mug*, chew the scenery*, throw a performance*; see also pretend 1 , 2 .

III

(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus)

I

n.

1. deed action, execution, performance, task, turn, endeavor, undertaking, measure, accomplishment, step, exploit, feat.

2. decree enactment, ruling, bill, edict, measure, law, ordinance, amendment, mandate, proclamation, judgment, resolution.

3. false behavior affectation, pose, *false front, pretense, make-believe, put-on, posturing, sham, performance, *Oscar performance, airs, feigning.

4. stage routine bit, *schtick, sketch.

5. part of a play scene, act one, act two, epilogue, prologue.

II

v.

1. do perform, execute, get involved, spring into action, carry out, achieve, begin, *jump in, undertake, function, move, proceed. ''Genius is the ability to act wisely without precedent—the power to do the right thing the first time.''—Elbert Hub-bard.

2. behave conduct oneself, comport, deport, carry oneself, perform, be like.

3. perform in an entertainment portray, personify, impersonate, mimic, role-play, characterize, enact, *ham it up, play a part, star, burlesque.

IV

(Roget's Thesaurus II) I noun 1. The process of doing: action. See ACTION. 2. Something done: action, deed, doing, thing, work. See DO. 3. The formal product of a legislative or judicial body: assize, bill1, enactment, law, legislation, lex, measure, statute. See LAW. 4. A short theatrical piece within a larger production: sketch, skit. See PERFORMING ARTS. 5. A display of insincere behavior: acting, disguise, dissemblance, masquerade, pretense, sham, show, simulation. See HONEST, TRUE. II verb 1. To conduct oneself in a specified way: acquit, bear, behave, carry, comport, demean1, deport, do, quit. See BE. 2. To behave affectedly or insincerely or take on a false or misleading appearance of: counterfeit, dissemble, fake, feign, play-act, pose, pretend, put on, sham, simulate. See HONEST, TRUE. 3. To react in a specified way: behave, function, operate, perform, work. See ACTION. 4. To perform the duties of another: function, officiate, serve. See DO, SUBSTITUTE. 5. To play the part of: do, enact, impersonate, perform, play, play-act, portray, represent. See ACTION, PERFORMING ARTS, SUBSTITUTE. 6. To produce on the stage. Also used with out: do, dramatize, enact, give, perform, present2, put on, stage. See PERFORMING ARTS.