Oxford Basic American Dictionary

She seems very happy, but she's just putting on an act. in the act (of doing something)

while doing something wrong I caught him in the act of stealing the money.

act • ing / ' rektig / noun [ noncount ]

being in plays or movies Have you ever done any acting?

ac .tion Ф / 'sekjn/ noun

[ noncount ] doing things, especially for a particular purpose

Now is the time for action!

If we don't take action quickly, it'll be too late!

[ count ] something that you do

The little girl copied her mother's actions.

[ noncount ] exciting things that happen I like movies with a lot of action in them. an action-packed movie

in action

doing something; working We watched the machine in action.

ac • ti • vate / ' ®teveit / verb

( ac . ti . vates , ac . ti . vat . ing , ac ti . vat . ed )

to make something start working

Any small movement can activate the alarm.

ac .tive Ф / 'aektiv / adjective

If you are active , you are always busy and able to do a lot of things

My grandmother is 75 but she's still very active.

( english language arts ) (used about a verb or sentence) when the person or thing doing the action is the subject of the verb

In the sentence "The dog bit him," the verb is active. —ANTONYM passive

ac .tiv . i .ty Ф / aek'tivoti / noun ( plural ac . tiv . i . ties )

[ noncount ] a lot of things happening and people doing things

On the day of the festival there was a lot of activity in the streets.

[ count ] something that you do, usually regularly and because you enjoy it

The hotel offers a range of sports activities.

aC .tOr Ф / 'aektor/ noun [count ]

a man or woman who acts in plays, movies, or television

programs

ac .tress О / 'aektros/ noun [ count ] ( pluralac . tress.es )

a woman who acts in plays, movies, or television programs

ac.tu.al2 'aektfuol / adjective that really happened; real

The actual damage to the car was not as bad as we thought.

They seemed to be good friends but in actual fact they hated each other.

ac tu al , ly Ф 'sektjusli; 'aektjali / adverb

1 really; in fact

You don't actually believe her, do you?

can't believe I'm actually going to Australia!

a word that you use to disagree politely or when you say something new

I don't agree. I thought the movie was very good, actually. "Let's go out tonight." "Actually, I'd like to stay in and watch a movie." Which word? Be careful! Actually does not mean "now." We can say currently or right now instead: He's currently working in China. ♦ I'm studying for my exams right now.

ac • u • punc • ture / 'rekys^Agkybr / noun

[noncount]

( health ) a way of treating an illness or stopping pain by putting thin needles into parts of the body

a • cute / s'kyut / adjective

very serious; very great an acute shortage of food

a • cute an • gle / s'kyut ,®ggl / noun [ count ]

( math ) an angle of less than 90° — Look at the picture at angle .

A.D. / ,ei 'di / abbreviation

( history , religion ) A.D. in a date shows that it was after Christ was born

1066A.D. —Look at B.C. .

ad / red / noun [ count ] ( informal ) short for advertisement

a TV ad

a • daptaw / s'drept / b

( a.dapts,a dapt. ing , a dapt.ed )

to change the way that you do things because you are in a new situation

He has adapted very well to being in a new school.