act

• vt. 扮演；裝作，舉動像
• vi. 行動；扮演，充當；表現，舉止；假裝，演戲；起作用，見效
• n. 行為，行動；法令，法案；（戲劇，歌劇的）一幕，段；裝腔作勢

來自詞根ag, 做，見agenda. -t, 過去分詞後綴。

act

act: [14] Act, action, active, actor all go back to Latin agere ‘do, perform’ (which is the source of a host of other English derivatives, from agent to prodigal). The past participle of this verb was āctus, from which we get act, partly through French acte, but in the main directly from Latin. The Latin agent noun, āctor, came into the language at about the same time, although at first it remained a rather uncommon word in English, with technical legal uses; it was not until the end of the 16th century that it came into its own in the theatre (player had hitherto been the usual term).

Other Latin derivatives of the past participial stem āct- were the noun āctiō, which entered English via Old French action, and the adjective āctīvus, which gave English active. See also ACTUAL.
=> action, active, agent, cogent, examine, prodigal

act (n.)

late 14c., "a thing done," from Old French acte "(official) document," and directly from Latin actus "a doing, a driving, impulse; a part in a play, act," and actum "a thing done," originally a legal term, both from agere "to do, set in motion, drive, urge, chase, stir up," from PIE root *ag- "to drive, draw out or forth, move" (cognates: Greek agein "to lead, guide, drive, carry off," agon "assembly, contest in the games," agogos "leader;" Sanskrit ajati "drives," ajirah "moving, active;" Old Norse aka "to drive;" Middle Irish ag "battle").

Theatrical ("part of a play," 1510s) and legislative (early 15c.) senses of the word also were in Latin. Meaning "display of exaggerated behavior" is from 1928. In the act "in the process" is from 1590s, perhaps originally from the 16c. sense of the act as "sexual intercourse." Act of God "uncontrollable natural force" recorded by 1726.

An act of God is an accident which arises from a cause which operates without interference or aid from man (1 Pars. on Cont. 635); the loss arising wherefrom cannot be guarded against by the ordinary exertions of human skill and prudence so as to prevent its effect. [William Wait, "General Principles of the Law," Albany, 1879]

act (v.)

mid-15c., "to act upon or adjudicate" a legal case; 1590s in the theatrical sense, from Latin actus, past participle of agere (see act (n.)). To act up "be unruly" is from 1903. To act out "behave anti-socially" (1974) is from psychiatric sense of "expressing one's unconscious impulses or desires." Related: Acted; acting.

1. He wants to act in concert with other nations.

他想和其他國家采取一致行動。

來自柯林斯例句

2. Politicians across the political spectrum have denounced the act.

各黨派的政客們都對該行為表示譴責。

來自柯林斯例句

3. It was imperative that he act as naturally as possible.

最重要的是他要做到盡可能自然。

來自柯林斯例句

4. There are many people who still find the act of abortion abhorrent.

仍有很多人對墮胎行為表示厭惡。

來自柯林斯例句

5. A patient will usually listen to the doctor'sadvice and act on it.

患者通常都會遵照醫囑行事。

來自柯林斯例句