| 释义 |
act 1. noun the disguise and staged personality assumed by an expert card counter playing blackjack in a casino in the hope of avoiding detection and ejection US, 1991.► get in on the act; be in on the actto become, or be, involved in another's activity US, 1947.► get into the actto take part. If not coined by, popularised as part of the catchphrase 'everybody wants to get into the act' by comedian Jimmy Durante on the radio in the 1940s US, 1946.► get your act together; get it togetherto take control of your personal condition; to get your mind and emotions under control; to become organised. A variation of 'pull yourself together' US, 1973.► hard act to follow; tough act to followsomething or someone who cannot be easily outdone US, 1963.► put on an actto give an exaggerated performance; to indulge in histrionics AUSTRALIA, 1944 2. verb ► act as ifin twelve-step recovery programmes such as Alcoholics Anonymous, used as a slogan for new participants in the programme US, 1998.► act cuteto behave in an annoyingly adorable fashion SINGAPORE, 2002.► act the angorato play the fool. The angora goat supplies this variation of ACT THE GOAT AUSTRALIA, 1942.► act the goatto play the fool AUSTRALIA, 1940.► act the maggotto play the fool IRELAND, 2003.► act your age not your shoesizeto behave in a manner appropriate to your years. A humorous extension of 'act your age' US, 1986
idiomact► a class act► read (sb) the riot acta balancing actequal a situation in which someone is trying to do a lot of different things at the same time, especially when this is difficult:Dealing with American culture and capitalism while trying to stay in touch with their Russian roots can be a tricky balancing act for these immigrants. Every album is a balancing act, and the Lemonhead's new one performs well, with a song for everyone.catch sb in the act1 to see someone doing something that is wrong:The police warned that anyone caught in the act of vandalism would be arrested.I turned round and caught Dave in the act of whispering to Denise.2 spoken to walk into a place unexpectedly and find two people having sex:Kim's dad caught them in the act the other day - she's in big trouble.The only time one of the kids caught us in the act, we just burst out laughing.clean up your actto start behaving in a more acceptable way after you have been behaving badly:If he doesn't clean up his act soon, he's going to end up in jail.Freedom House gives you the chance to clean up your act, by working for us while we help you find a job.do a vanishing/disappearing actused in order to say that someone has made it impossible for other people to find them, especially when it has happened without warning:Sadiq knew the army was approaching, so he did a vanishing act early that morning.I was hoping to speak to Sophie, but she seems to have done a disappearing act.get in on the actto take part in an activity, business etc that someone else has started, in order to get some of the advantages for yourself:They are the only two countries with military satellites, and they don't want others to get in on the act.Even the smaller supermarkets are getting in on the act and providing exotic fruits and vegetables for their customers.get your act togetherspoken to do something in a more organized way than before, or to use your abilities more effectively than before:He'll have to get his act together and improve his grades if he wants to play football at school.I'd like to thank everyone for getting their act together and responding so quickly to the problem.be a hard/tough act to follow(also be an impossible act to follow)used in order to say that the way someone has done something is so successful or impressive that it will be difficult for the next person, team etc who does it to be as good:The department owes a lot to Amanda for her years of leadership - she's a hard act to follow.Shulman's magnificent first novel may be a nearly impossible act to follow. phraseact[acted, acted, acting]
act for
act for sb if someone, especially a lawyer, acts for you, you employ them to deal with something for you or speak for you in a court of law: Lawyers acting for ex-smokers are suing the big tobacco companies for billions of dollars. The buyer of the painting said he was acting for an American client, who wished to remain anonymous.■ SIMILAR TO: represent
act on/upon
act on/upon sth to do what someone has advised, ordered etc you to do, or do something because you have received some information or had an idea: Acting on a hunch, she went into his study and looked through his letters.act on sb's advice/orders/suggestion I realize now that I should have acted on my father's advice.act on information Police say they were acting on information from an undisclosed source.
act out 1. act out sth • act sth out to perform the events in a story, play, or a situation: We had to act out the story of Jesus's birth in Bethlehem. Through playing, children act out the dramas of adult life, and learn how to master new situations. Like every teenager, Kylie acted out her fantasies of pop stardom in front of her bedroom mirror.2. act out sth • act sth out to express your feelings and emotions through your behaviour, especially as a way of getting rid of feelings of unhappiness or anger: Teenagers often act out their frustrations by turning against their parents.■ SIMILAR TO: vent
act up 1. act up to behave badly - used especially about children: He was always acting up in class and caused his teachers no end of trouble. McEnroe developed something of a reputation for throwing tantrums and acting up on court.■ SIMILAR TO: play up BrE informal2. act up informal if a part of your body acts up, it starts to hurt or stops working properly: My elbow started acting up again, and I had to stop playing.■ SIMILAR TO: play up BrE informal
See:- a balancing act
- a balancing/juggling act
- a class act
- a hard act to follow
- a hard/tough act to follow
- a juggling act
- a tough act to follow
- act (one's) age
- act (up)on
- act as
- act for
- act of Congress
- act of faith
- act of God
- act on
- act one's age
- act Out
- act shoulder to shoulder
- act the fool
- act the goat
- act the maggot
- act up
- act your age
- Act your age!
- act/be your age
- act/play the fool
- act/play the goat
- an act of faith
- an act of God
- an act of war
- be a hard act to follow
- be caught in the act
- be in on the act
- be shoulder to shoulder
- be, stand, act, etc. shoulder to shoulder
- be/get in on the act
- catch (one) in the act
- catch in the act
- catch red-handed
- catch somebody in the act
- caught in the act
- class act
- clean (one's) act up
- clean act up
- clean one’s act up
- clean up
- clean up (one's) act
- clean up act
- clean up your act
- couldn't act (one's) way out of a paper bag
- do a disappearing act
- do a vanishing act
- do/perform/stage a disappearing/vanishing act
- Dutch act
- get (one's) act together
- get act together
- get in on the act
- get in the act
- get into the act
- get into/in the act, to
- get one’s act together
- get one's act together
- get your act together
- go into (one's) act
- go into act
- hard act to follow
- hard/tough act to follow
- have (one's) act together
- high-and-mighty
- high-wire act
- in earnest
- in on the act
- in the act
- it would take an act of Congress to (do something)
- It would take an act of Congress to do
- keep an act up
- keep up an act
- let (someone) in on the act
- old pals act
- oneself again
- out of a paper bag
- play the fool
- pull a disappearing act
- pull a vanishing act
- put on an act
- read (one) the riot act
- read (someone) the riot act
- read the riot act
- read the riot act, to
- stand shoulder to shoulder
- the Dutch act
- the old pals act
- tough act to follow
- within rights
- young at heart
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