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Acting vs. Act — What's the Difference?

Acting vs. Act — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Acting and Act

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Acting

Acting is an activity in which a story is told by means of its enactment by an actor or actress who adopts a character—in theatre, television, film, radio, or any other medium that makes use of the mimetic mode. Acting involves a broad range of skills, including a well-developed imagination, emotional facility, physical expressivity, vocal projection, clarity of speech, and the ability to interpret drama.

Act

The process of doing or performing something
The act of thinking.

Acting

Temporarily assuming the duties or authority of another.

Act

Something done or performed; a deed
A charitable act.

Acting

The occupation of an actor.
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Act

(Law) Something done that has legal significance
A criminal act.

Acting

Performance as an actor.

Act

A statute or other law formally adopted by a legislative body
An act of Congress.

Acting

Temporarily assuming the duties or authority of another person when they are unable to do their job.
The Acting Minister must sign Executive Council documents in a Minister's absence.
The CEO is currently in a hospital. The CFO is acting CEO in the meantime.

Act

A formal written record of proceedings or transactions.

Acting

Present participle of act

Act

One of the major divisions of a play, opera, or film.

Acting

An action or deed.

Act

A performance or entertainment usually forming part of a longer presentation
A juggling act.
A magic act.

Acting

(legal) Something done by a party — so called to avoid confusion with the legal senses of deed and action.

Act

The actor or actors presenting such a performance
Joined the act in Phoenix.

Acting

Pretending.

Act

A manifestation of intentional or unintentional insincerity; a pose
Put on an act.

Acting

(drama) The occupation of an actor.

Act

To play the part of; assume the dramatic role of
She plans to act Ophelia in summer stock.

Acting

Operating in any way.

Act

To perform (a role) on the stage
Act the part of the villain.

Acting

Doing duty for another; officiating; as, an acting superintendent.

Act

To behave like or pose as; impersonate
Don't act the fool.

Acting

The performance of a part or role in a drama

Act

To behave in a manner suitable for
Act your age.

Acting

Serving temporarily especially as a substitute;
The acting president

Act

To behave or comport oneself
She acts like a born leader.

Act

To perform in a dramatic role or roles.

Act

To be suitable for theatrical performance
This scene acts well.

Act

To behave affectedly or unnaturally; pretend.

Act

To appear or seem to be
The dog acted ferocious.

Act

To carry out an action
We acted immediately. The governor has not yet acted on the bill.

Act

To operate or function in a specific way
His mind acts quickly.

Act

To serve or function as a substitute for another
A coin can act as a screwdriver.

Act

To produce an effect
Waited five minutes for the anesthetic to act.

Act

(countable) Something done, a deed.
An act of goodwill

Act

Actuality.

Act

(theology) Something done once and for all, as distinguished from a work.

Act

A product of a legislative body, a statute.

Act

The process of doing something.
He was caught in the act of stealing.

Act

(countable) A formal or official record of something done.

Act

A division of a theatrical performance.
The pivotal moment in the play was in the first scene of the second act.

Act

(countable) A performer or performers in a show.
Which act did you prefer? The soloist or the band?

Act

(countable) Any organized activity.

Act

(countable) A display of behaviour.

Act

A thesis maintained in public, in some English universities, by a candidate for a degree, or to show the proficiency of a student.

Act

(countable) A display of behaviour meant to deceive.
To put on an act

Act

Senseid|en|act of parliament}} (law) {{ellipsis of act of parliament

Act

(intransitive) To do something.
If you don't act soon, you will be in trouble.

Act

To do (something); to perform.

Act

(intransitive) To perform a theatrical role.
I started acting at the age of eleven in my local theatre.

Act

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

Act

(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.
He's acting strangely - I think there's something wrong with him.

Act

(copulative) To convey an appearance of being.
He acted unconcerned so the others wouldn't worry.

Act

(intransitive) To do something that causes a change binding on the doer.
Act on behalf of John

Act

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.

Act

(transitive) To play (a role).
He's been acting Shakespearean leads since he was twelve.

Act

(transitive) To feign.
He acted the angry parent, but was secretly amused.

Act

To map via a homomorphism to a group of automorphisms (of).
This group acts on the circle, so it can't be left-orderable!

Act

To move to action; to actuate; to animate.

Act

To enact; to decree.

Act

That which is done or doing; the exercise of power, or the effect, of which power exerted is the cause; a performance; a deed.
That best portion of a good man's life,His little, nameless, unremembered actsOf kindness and of love.

Act

A state of reality or real existence as opposed to a possibility or possible existence.
The seeds of plants are not at first in act, but in possibility, what they afterward grow to be.

Act

Process of doing; action. In act, in the very doing; on the point of (doing).
This woman was taken . . . in the very act.

Act

To move to action; to actuate; to animate.
Self-love, the spring of motion, acts the soul.

Act

To perform; to execute; to do.
That we act our temporal affairs with a desire no greater than our necessity.
Industry doth beget by producing good habits, and facility of acting things expedient for us to do.
Uplifted hands that at convenient timesCould act extortion and the worst of crimes.

Act

To perform, as an actor; to represent dramatically on the stage.

Act

To assume the office or character of; to play; to personate; as, to act the hero.

Act

To feign or counterfeit; to simulate.
With acted fear the villain thus pursued.

Act

To exert power; to produce an effect; as, the stomach acts upon food.

Act

To perform actions; to fulfill functions; to put forth energy; to move, as opposed to remaining at rest; to carry into effect a determination of the will.
He hangs between, in doubt to act or rest.

Act

To behave or conduct, as in morals, private duties, or public offices; to bear or deport one's self; as, we know not why he has acted so.

Act

To perform on the stage; to represent a character.
To show the world how Garrick did not act.

Act

A legal document codifying the result of deliberations of a committee or society or legislative body

Act

Something that people do or cause to happen

Act

A subdivision of a play or opera or ballet

Act

A short theatrical performance that is part of a longer program;
He did his act three times every evening
She had a catchy little routine
It was one of the best numbers he ever did

Act

A manifestation of insincerity;
He put on quite an act for her benefit

Act

Perform an action, or work out or perform (an action);
Think before you act
We must move quickly
The governor should act on the new energy bill
The nanny acted quickly by grabbing the toddler and covering him with a wet towel

Act

Behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself;
You should act like an adult
Don't behave like a fool
What makes her do this way?
The dog acts ferocious, but he is really afraid of people

Act

Play a role or part;
Gielgud played Hamlet
She wants to act Lady Macbeth, but she is too young for the role
She played the servant to her husband's master

Act

Discharge one's duties;
She acts as the chair
In what capacity are you acting?

Act

Pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind;
He acted the idiot
She plays deaf when the news are bad

Act

Be suitable for theatrical performance;
This scene acts well

Act

Have an effect or outcome; often the one desired or expected;
The voting process doesn't work as well as people thought
How does your idea work in practice?
This method doesn't work
The breaks of my new car act quickly
The medicine works only if you take it with a lot of water

Act

Be engaged in an activity, often for no particular purpose other than pleasure

Act

Behave unnaturally or affectedly;
She's just acting

Act

Perform on a stage or theater;
She acts in this play
He acted in `Julius Caesar'
I played in `A Christmas Carol'

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