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2 definitions found
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 :   [ gcide ]

  Act \Act\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Acted; p. pr. & vb. n.
     Acting.] [L. actus, p. p. of agere to drive, lead, do; but
     influenced by E. act, n.]
     1. To move to action; to actuate; to animate. [Obs.]
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Self-love, the spring of motion, acts the soul.
                                                    --Pope.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. To perform; to execute; to do. [Archaic]
        [1913 Webster]
  
              That we act our temporal affairs with a desire no
              greater than our necessity.           --Jer. Taylor.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Industry doth beget by producing good habits, and
              facility of acting things expedient for us to do.
                                                    --Barrow.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Uplifted hands that at convenient times
              Could act extortion and the worst of crimes.
                                                    --Cowper.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. To perform, as an actor; to represent dramatically on the
        stage.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. To assume the office or character of; to play; to
        personate; as, to act the hero.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     5. To feign or counterfeit; to simulate.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              With acted fear the villain thus pursued. --Dryden.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     To act a part, to sustain the part of one of the characters
        in a play; hence, to simulate; to dissemble.
  
     To act the part of, to take the character of; to fulfill
        the duties of.
        [1913 Webster]

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) :   [ web1913 ]

  Act \Act\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Acted; p. pr. & vb. n.
     Acting.] [L. actus, p. p. of agere to drive, lead, do; but
     influenced by E. act, n.]
     1. To move to action; to actuate; to animate. [Obs.]
  
              Self-love, the spring of motion, acts the soul.
                                                    --Pope.
  
     2. To perform; to execute; to do. [Archaic]
  
              That we act our temporal affairs with a desire no
              greater than our necessity.           --Jer. Taylor.
  
              Industry doth beget by producing good habits, and
              facility of acting things expedient for us to do.
                                                    --Barrow.
  
              Uplifted hands that at convenient times Could act
              extortion and the worst of crimes.    --Cowper.
  
     3. To perform, as an actor; to represent dramatically on the
        stage.
  
     4. To assume the office or character of; to play; to
        personate; as, to act the hero.
  
     5. To feign or counterfeit; to simulate.
  
              With acted fear the villain thus pursued. --Dryden.
  
     To act a part, to sustain the part of one of the characters
        in a play; hence, to simulate; to dissemble.
  
     To act the part of, to take the character of; to fulfill
        the duties of.

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